


Down the Hall

by Pas_dAutres



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Roommates/Housemates, Fluff, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-20
Updated: 2015-12-12
Packaged: 2018-03-31 10:12:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 7
Words: 28,951
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3974260
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pas_dAutres/pseuds/Pas_dAutres
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>If Levi thinks Hanji is insufferable enough to be sharing an apartment with, then he has another thing coming when her new sublet moves in. Unpredictable, sloppy, and way too sprightly for Levi's sanity. That's fine, he can handle it. Just stay out of each other's way and both parties will come out unharmed.</p><p>With the way thing's are progressing however, he's finding it pretty darn difficult in steering clear of Eren's paths.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Orientation

**Author's Note:**

> i know—we have way too much roommate/college aus in this fandom. this is gonna be quick, fun, random to the sporadic extremes, and as harmless as ereri goodness can get. (summary sounds like it was stolen from some Harlequin Romance book, pardon my lack of creativity)
> 
> note: a ‘sublet’ is someone who rents a person’s room for a short period of time (usually a full school semester), so they don’t need to find a place to lease a full year (which is more costly).

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _And here we have a lone beast, inhabiting in the backdrop of the usual college dormlife. He goes about his day, minding his own business, and preying on the neverending accounting questions that seem to feed him academic satisfaction. Hold on...here comes another creature of similar type, stepping into the beast's territory. The beast is apprehensive and alert, ready to defend his territory but the newcomer seems to lean in for a cooperative association. Let's close in and observe their primative interaction. Will it be a violent bloodbath or an unexpected bonding? Stay tuned._

There’s a disturbance in the air. A rather unpleasant one that leaves prickles on his skin and foreboding sensations of incoming doom in his guts. The early sounds of clanging and banging are what first rouse Levi, peeved from having to be disturbed from his morning reading. To his disdain, heavy languid footsteps continue to disturb the peace until they reach Levi’s floor, the sound of keys jangling puzzling him for a moment. These unfamiliar footsteps belong neither to Hanji nor Erwin.

Said disturbance comes in the form of a tall lanky kid with his truckload of boxes and tattered suitcases. Barbaric in his movements as his messy Tarzan hair, the uninvited stranger trudges in with heavy puffs as he carelessly throws his belongings on the floor. Levi doesn’t blame the caveman for not noticing his presence—the unruly bangs reaching down to his cheekbones don’t do much help in clearing his line of sight.

He doesn’t have the patience to wait either.

“Shoes.”

The kid finally looks up at Levi’s one-word greeting and a big smile breaks out. Catches Levi by surprise. He sticks out his hand with much enthusiasm, mentioning that he must be Levi, Hanji’s roommate. The black-haired male ignores him in favour of looking down to the pair of atrociously ripped pair of combat boots. They must go. The young man immediately realises and hustles to yank them off, chucking them at the entrance. Sloppy—he is lucky there is no dirt mark on the wall or Levi would be out hunting to bust some balls.

“Hanji did mention you’re sort of a stickler for cleanliness,” he comments, then proceeds to introduce himself. Eren Jaeger, Hanji’s fall sublet. He’s found this place by the last minute, thankful for Hanji’s kind acceptance. Has she told Levi that he’s to arrive today?

Hanji has told him shit. No shocker there, the lunatic is full of surprises and it leaves bitter, gritty aftertastes on Levi’s tongue. He rubs his eyes in slight annoyance, her ambiguous text of ‘I’m going on break for a while!’ finally making sense to him.

The snake.

Levi crosses his arms instead of receiving Eren’s handshake. He doesn’t do small talk and niceties; he gets right down to business.

“Shoes off inside. Washroom’s to my left. Keep it clean. Keep all common rooms clean. Wifi password’s on the fridge—it’s not unlimited so take it easy on the torrents. Thursdays’ are garbage days, we have household, recycling, and compost. Make sure you take out your shit Wednesday nights. No house parties, no smoking; take it outside. This place is to be cleaned weekly. There’s a schedule to who’s on duty—you’re on week three. No pets allowed—”

Eren opens his mouth but Levi cuts him off with a stern glare.

“—no exceptions.”

He gives Eren a few seconds to digest. Figure he’s scared off the newbie—doesn’t even allow them some time to settle in before firing the rules around. Levi watches for any sign of discomfort but surprisingly, there is none. In fact, Eren straightens himself into a two-finger salute and answers in the cheekiest tone.

“Aye aye, captain! Something tells me we’re going to get along real well this term.”

It’s a humourous lie, and they both know it.

* * *

Stay out of his way, and he’ll stay out of yours.

That’s the general rule Levi goes by when it comes to temporary roommates. He’d like to apply it to Erwin and Hanji as well, but having been friends for an unfortunately long period of time, Levi spares them the cruelty (as Hanji calls it).

To his defence, it doesn’t come in application quite often. The only time when strangers come crashing in is when Erwin goes on internship for the semester, and even then, the sensible man takes effort to interview the individuals who would occupy his room. They have a mutual understanding as to what sort of person they want in their private dwelling of 42 Marshall—responsible, quiet, and generally a decent human being who can take care of themselves as well as their living quarters.

Hanji is the exception.

Hanji’s always the exception.

And along with her unpredictable temperament comes unpredictable (stupid) decisions that hands Levi the most unpredictable consequences to deal with.

The new roommate, for the most part, keeps to his side of the space. It’s easy when lectures started and they both go by their own schedules. He’s on the other end of the hall so Levi doesn’t have to see his disheveled state in the morning with wrinkled tank-tops, basketball shorts, and a dangerously cute bedhead that seems to grow an Amazon Rainforest. No sense of personal awareness and sometimes Levi catches sight of pink nipples peeking out from his loose article and fuck is it aggravating.

What a slob the kid is.

And acutely ignorant. Or Levi wishes him to be but deep inside, he’s aware of the cheeky cleverness that lives inside the youngster. He’s also alarmingly aware of how lenient he is on the new tenant. No exceptions means no exceptions—the rule only ever forgoes when it comes to Hanji (what can Levi do about her?). And now, Eren can be a part of that special group, for he can violate house rules on his first week at 42 Marshall and still live to tell his feat.

“I wouldn’t say violate,” Eren cuts in, “that’s a strong word. How about ‘overlook’?”

Levi gives him a deadpan expression. “It’s a fucking turtle, Eren, and you keeping it makes it a pet. I said no pets allowed.”

Eren holds up the small container and looks through the glass with pleading eyes. “Look at how small she is! Jewels doesn’t bark, she doesn’t pee or poo anywhere, she stays in her little box! You won’t even know she’s here—in fact, you haven’t noticed her ‘till today...”

But that’s because Levi has a sense of privacy and doesn’t nose in to other people’s business, unless need be. It takes care of not having to be involved with matters he doesn’t want to be later on. One casual walk by Eren’s opened room today, however, has Levi’s attention fixed on a suspicious green dot that seems to move with life. Eren thinks he can hide his secrets.

Does he take Levi for a fool?

Sensing his impending reproach, Eren lowers the container and peers at Levi with the biggest set of eyes. A complete fail of an attempt, for his eyes are shielded by thick strands of brown hair and can barely be seen. He really needs to get a haircut. Buzz his head bald, if Levi has a say in it. But as if grasping the situation, the small turtle creeps out of her shell and slowly bobs her head, pleading along with her master.

“Please don’t kick us out mister, we have nowhere to go.”

“The house across from us is renting out.”

“But your much needed presence is such a delight to us!”

Eren Jaeger. Entering his third year, studying mechatronics and has an apparent passion for it. Possesses a distinct love for superhero movies, judging by the many posters already dominating his walls, and owns quite an impressive collection of books. Does some music on the side—guitar and piano (keyboard really, but Levi can’t tell the difference) and keeps a pet turtle named Jewels. Has a knack for creating little messes all around the common rooms, leaving subtle traces of his presence in a way such that Levi cannot call him out for it and ends up cleaning after him begrudgingly.

Already a week in and the twerp is stirring up the household peace.

It’s the willingness to do so that surprises Levi the most. Not so much willing, he corrects himself, but maybe acceptance is more of the right word. Acceptance of Eren’s forgetfulness and blunders when he forgets to take off his boots, put the salt shaker back to where it belongs, hang his jacket in the closet, wipe clean of the sink after dishwashing, put the damn toilet lid down after a session.

And now, acceptance of a pet in the vicinity of his living space even though no rapid animal of any kind has been allowed in the apartment for three clean years.

He blames the much-too-early sun that breaks into his room followed by a different kind of sunshine that seems to wake up just as impossibly-early as him. Levi’s unused to the good-morning’s and how-are-you’s that greet him. Eren’s blast of supercharged beams of light and energy frazzles Levi’s sleep-deprived state and leaves him in a state of momentary turmoil. And it continues into the night, when they return from campus and Levi is once again hit with Eren’s relentless sparks of energy.

Fuck if that smile is too bright and cheerful.

And fuck if it follows him everywhere whenever Levi is out of the safety of his room.

Eren Jaeger does not have an inkling of what personal space is. It’s like he has a sensor built in specifically for Levi—whenever the senior is out and about the common area, Eren is out and about, striking up conversations and attempting camaraderie to which Levi purposely avoids. Relentless, blindly relentless and it’s almost as if Levi doesn’t want to break up that smile so he lets Eren indulge in the basics.

Scratch the surface.

_What year are you? Fourth._

_Program? Accounting._

_Hmm, that’s pretty interesting. Don’t bullshit—it’s stale and boring as fuck._

_Are you here by yourself, is your family here?_

Only the surface.

Levi forgoes that question and leans against his doorframe. “You’re my roommate, not my interrogator.”

Eren is the least bit affected by his standoffish.

“My best friend used to be my roommate back in first year.”

“We are not going to be ‘best friends’.”

He receives a pout and Levi very much so would like to slap that off because Eren’s teasing behaviour is getting to him—appallingly not in an annoying way.

“Not going to paint each other’s nail, talk until three in the morning and go out for midnight snacks?”

Levi glowers at Eren before disappearing into his room. “Stay away from my nails.”

* * *

Eren is a quick learner though.

Quickly learns his messy ways and puts in real effort to fix his sloppy habits. Levi can’t deny that he’s impressed. He witnesses, many (many) days later, how much attention Eren puts into making sure his belongings are in place and not thrown around carelessly. Cleans up after himself so Levi doesn’t have to.

And on the latter’s part, he tries to ignore the way Eren looks to him as if expecting some sort of acknowledgement or approval.

* * *

He doesn’t truly recognize the scope of Eren’s musicality until many nights later, when his evening reading is joined by a faint sound of guitar, followed by a soft progression of simple melody. Levi doesn’t seem to be aware of this accompaniment until the third roommate, Erwin’s sublet, finally crawls out of her room and snaps him out of his reverie.

Eren plays well—strums well. Too well.

Fuck, is there anything the kid can’t do?

He asks that question a little too soon when a rich, airy voice broke out, lifting the silence with a soft hum that quickly progressed into whispered singing. Levi can’t make out the words that are muffled by thin walls, but he feels he doesn’t need to. This steady tone makes peace with his mood and further delves him into the calmness of literature in his hand.

He is unaccustomed to noises at night.

But this one...this one is rather pleasant. Eren’s not rocking up the entire neighbourhood anyway, so Levi doesn’t have the authority to cut him off. He doesn’t need to. In the back of his mind, he thinks he doesn’t want to.

And so, Levi lets him off again.

Another exception.

.-.

Just as quickly to discovery Eren’s romantic side, Levi learns of his violent rage.

It starts out quiet, silent almost. Tonight, Eren’s not performing one of his tunes. Levi figures the boy is studying (for once), given how tranquil the atmosphere at 42 Marshall is for once. Following a bit of case studies and short reading, Levi dozes off to light sleep.

Only to be stirred awake by unexpected obscenities from a usually amiable mouth.

“FUCK! No no no...no—no get away dumbass!”

He doesn’t suspect the offense to Eren’s vulgar language is due to nightmares of monsters and ghosts. Even with walls standing between them (though questionably thin), Levi can still detect the echoing clacking of mouse and keyboard.

“Wait for m—yeah, just camp there. The fuckheads are targeting you so Ima head over to you now. No stay put, you ignoramus!”

Levi huffs in amusement at Eren’s odd and wide choice of insults. His assessment takes a dive when a bang hits against the table followed by another violent contact. Sounds like his keyboard and headset.

“WHAT NOW – SUCK MY ELONGATED DICK.”

An exhaustive sigh draws out of Levi. As much as he’d like to stay awake and hear Eren’s dirty-talking, a good night’s sleep seem to be the better choice.

“Oh fuck me—asshole thinks he can cut me off!”

Levi doesn’t bother to knock. Perhaps it is too late at night and his mind is muddled from (lack of?) sleep that he forgets his basic manners and flings the door open in a murderous glare. His annoyance quickly dissipates once grey eyes settle themselves on a rather naked Eren (flush pink nipples?)—plus the boxers of course. Tanned and defined, muscle taunt and stretching to accommodate Eren’s odd choice of posture in his seat.

He forces himself out of daze when Eren grabs his headset off, wearing a guilty expression. The flashing light of the video game reflects off his face in taunt.

“Sorry...was I too loud?”

“No, please yell it to the world to suck your elongated dick.”

Eren flushes from the bottom of his stomach to the top of his ears. Levi admits never having to see such an amusing sight.

“I-I’ll keep it down...”

Levi doubts he’ll keep his vow. Slips back to bed anyway and with much effort, he grumbles himself to sleep wondering why anyone is crazy enough to wear so little when the autumn temperature is so low.

* * *

It’s when Eren comes back one day with his hair tied up experiences his initial spiral down. First time Levi’s ever seen him like that and it’s a different look. Older, wilder, even less tamed than his shaggy look. Only a few stray strands fall in front of Eren’s face and when Levi finally gets a chance, he witnesses the tidal wave of ocean-green—his eyes as crisp as spring grass yet rich and full of forest life.

He’s struck for the tiniest fraction of a second before looking away, staring into some other colour to disillusion his mind. Levi’s asked if he’s okay, Eren oblivious to the mass effect his eyes have on everyone, and the black-haired man replies in a curt yes.

That is the only time when Levi has caught a glimpse of true green.

It’s enough to feed this nagging urge inside Levi—to brush aside the long bangs Eren likes to keep. Disorderly, unfinished, unkempt. How does the boy study, play his guitar, play video games when all this hair is blocking his view? It needs to be out of the way—tamed, controlled, rid of so his eyes can see better, brighter, farther.

“You need a haircut.”

Levi tells them as it is.

Eren looks up as he exits the bathroom, fresh out of shower. His wet hair falling a curtain in front of his face and it irks Levi not being able to see him properly. Eren pulls a vexed look and crosses his arm.

“And who are you, my mother?”

Levi shrugs and turns back to his assignment. His choice in the end, whether or not to destroy his eyesight.

“I don’t want the other roommate to be scared off by your caveman-ish look.”

“Sure you don’t want me to fend off unwanted guests here?” Eren teasingly asks, whipping his hair around like a dog, splattering droplets of water around. Levi sends a warning glare and the boy only grins.

“More like attracting fleas and lice to your jungle of hair. Do you wash it properly? Shampoo twice, conditioner once.”

“Yes mother, just like the way you taught me,” says Eren with a playful eye-roll. He twirls a strand of hair thoughtfully before inquiring Levi. “Can you do it for me?”

The older male halts on the brazen question and looks to Eren, now shy and timid than before.

“I’m lazy to go to a hairdresser.”

“There’s one right beside campus.”

“It’s hard to find a good one!”

“And you trust my hands?”

“You do it for free!”

Levi sends a narrowed gaze to which Eren sheepishly slouches under.

“I—I’ll treat you to bubble tea...”

He has a particular dislike towards that diabetes-inducing drink (not even real tea for fuck’s sake). But somehow, he ends up standing behind a seated Eren with piled newspapers under their feet. The brunet waits patiently, a refreshing smile slapped on his face and Levi does wonder how an acquaintance of two weeks, especially one as grumpy as him, can be trusted with the fate of his hairstyle so easily and full-heartedly by Eren.

It is Eren after all.

So he takes a small handful of damp brown hair in his one hand, lines it up to the scissor in his other hand. Snips, snips, snips. Combs softly through his thick tresses—boy does have soft, fluffy hair. Levi takes note of tiny whorl swirling just below Eren’s bigger one—a source of his unruly hair. Smooth skin, he silently remarks, as he subconsciously runs a finger along his hairline. A healthy glow to his tanned complexion.

When he is done, it’s a new, yet the same look for Eren. Still a tangled mess, still a wild forest of brown, still a few boyish tresses that stick out against gravity. Though his frontal now in exposure, Levi marvels in his finished work.

Under the evening light, he sees glowing chartreuse lining his irises. Like delicate wine of the same name floating just above the surface, Eren’s eyes glimmer more than ever. They shine, and not only with artificial light, but with some sort of hope. Expectation.

Eren rubs the back of his now bare neck. “H-how do I look?”

Levi gives no words, he softly hums an approval.

.-.

The night after, the man rolls to his side with a troubled mind. In less than a month, without his full awareness, invisible strings have pulled him into a foreign area that he has so carefully avoided for years. He’s irked, muddled in vexation, unable to fall asleep because this new disturbance at 42 Marshall is a little more unexpected than Levi had expected.

It’s because there are not one, but two strangers in this house, he reasons with himself. He’s only used to one. And by the end of these four months, they’ll have moved out and on and so will Levi. ‘Tis but a mere rattle of a change. No shit he can handle it.

“Hit me up-hit me up-hitmeup..oh shit oh shit ohshit—FUCK”

Levi pulls a pillow over his ears, Eren’s raging hammering through the walls as another session of game-night continues.

Fuck indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> driven by my experiences with all sorts of roommates, inspired by the awfully-talented and dazzling people i’ve met. this is going to be a series of fluff and mini-episodes of the daily lives at the residence of 42 marshall. expect no real plot. for timmy.
> 
> it is 4 am and i need to wake up in 3.5 hours. please pardon the grammar mistakes and nonsensical writing in the latter half of this first chapter. kick me in the imaginary balls the next time i appear. thanks.
> 
> feedback and kudos greatly appreciated!


	2. Free Food and His Phone Number; What More Could a Guy Want?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He's a bathroom hogger, food hoarder, egg-lover, amateur cook, and a forgetful little spirit who drives Levi a little nuts on the inside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let this be a disclaimer that levi means none of his insults towards eren (but who knows).
> 
> warning: a little gross at the end there. nothing graphic though. mildly edited.

A series of angry knocks against the bathroom door echo throughout the third floor of 42 Marshall. The evening’s chaotic episode includes threats and barks of orders for a certain brown-haired man to get the fuck out already. He’s taken too much of his sweet time and an impatient roommate’s bladder is about explode in sparkling glory.

Levi hears the rush of the shower slow to a stop followed by fumbling footsteps out of the tub. Moments later, a tall figure emerges out of bathroom, hot steam clouding up the space between them. The perpetrator of tonight’s event dares to brave a smile, presuming that with just his good looks will steer him out of trouble.

“All yours!” Eren’s cheerfulness is as fresh as baby-smooth doused skin and Levi ignores the way his wet hair sticks to his temples, remnants of his too-long of a shower dribbling down. Like a wet dog who’s just made a happy mess around the house.

With a nonchalant grunt, Levi pushes past him and shut the door with emphasized force. He swiftly strips and prepares for his long-awaited shower, turning the shower knob to a decent temperature and waiting for the water to heat up.

Except, it never does. An eternal flow of freezing cold running against his testing hand.

Only one explanation reaches his very peeved mind.

Never mind his naked state; Levi yanks the door open and bellows out the evening’s tragic allegation.

“SHITHEAD. YOU USED UP ALL THE HOT WATER AGAIN!”

* * *

Always rushing, always last minute. Leaves traces of his breakfast scattered across the counters when he leaves for school and adds onto the mess when he returns in the evening. Flies out of his room with more trash in hand when Levi’s about to take it out. Hogs the bathroom in the morning and robs the vicinity from use at night. Now steals hot water which ought to be enough for three persons but Eren deems it otherwise.

The boy forces Levi to take desperate measures. Rushing home before nine—preferably taking the express bus so he can outrun the idiot—and occupy the bathroom. He spites the loser with a drawn-out bubble bath (after a good scrubbing, for his ass shall not touch the same surface where Jaeger’s odious feet have stepped on). It’s frustrating how one person can suddenly make him change his routine that has been set for three years.

Eren Jaeger is an unnatural force of nature.

He chooses what he wishes at the momentary second, does what his emotions command him to do. A bell-like voice rings the air with amazement and wonder, curiousity and question, never afraid of pointed looks and speaks in the wrong moments more so than right. And though free-spirited like a wild horse in the plains, a solid line of integrity and discipline clearly defines his core values. Strong and steady, precarious and unrestrained.

Only one other person comes to mind; the rest, Levi avoids.

Eren Jaeger…well, he’s unavoidable.

His overbearing presence, his quirky habits that quickly catch up in the household. Wherever to Levi looks. Ignites sparks in his nerves and twitches in his eye.

There’s a growing pile of sugar packets resting innocently on the kitchen counter, beckoning Levi to come and sweep them away into the garbage. Every day it seems to increase in number. He’s not a fan of wasting food. It’s Eren’s shit anyway. He won’t touch. But if one more sugar packet reaches that pile—

“Are you making a collection?”

Eren looks at him puzzled that day, then makes an ‘o’ with his lips when realization dawns. A sheepish look accompanies his flush as he shakes a negative.

“Are you going to use them?”

He shrugs an uncertainty.

Levi sighs then proceeds to carry on cleaning up the surface. A hand stops him, larger and rougher. Levi stares at his pinky where it makes contact with Eren.

“I…I use it to drink tea sometimes.”

Levi rolls his eyes. “You don’t even drink tea, dipshit.”

“You do,” Eren replies timidly.

And that shuts him up.

There’s always the fridge to clear. Getting rid of the more-than-enough ketchup packets would be his greatest pleasure. Stingy little Eren has a particular habit of hoarding sugar-induced tomato paste. Kid doesn’t even have fries to eat ketchup with, and he wants to keep them? For good luck charm? Despicable.

“Whoa whoa whoa!” Eren cries alarmingly as he dashes to the rescue, snatching the ketchup packets from Levi’s evil grasp. “How dare you inflict such a crime in this household?!”

Levi’s this close to whacking the boy senseless.

“New house rule: no hoarding.”

“This is a democratic country, Levi. We gotta vote to establish new laws. ‘Sides, ketchup is an excellent source of vitamin C.”

“It’ll give you diabetes, that’s what. It’s not even part of the food group, you can’t eat it alone like that.”

Levi almost regrets his words upon seeing Eren’s eyes narrow with determination. ‘Watch me’, they say as Eren rips open a packet and squeezes all that sour, sugary goodness into his mouth. Levi is stands unfazed—stomach’s a little queasy though. He pulls out that unimpressed expression.

“You’re nauseating.”

“Yet here you still are.”

His confident stance doesn’t veil the underlying truth. A third year college student in a prestigious program, who knows how to strum a guitar, play the keyboard, whip people’s ass in Counterstrike, piss off grumpy roommates—cannot cook for the life of him. Happily fine with it, the carefree chap. That pretty head of his is convinced that sugar, caffeine, water, and ketchup are all he needs to stay alive (most of the time).

His day-to-day hours are packed full with school and extracurriculars. Who has the time to cook? Only when two or three hours are spared on the weekends, does Eren bring out his handy pot and make simple pasta plentiful enough to last throughout the week.

Levi observes with hidden disapproval, staring at the blood-orange goo being stirred ferociously. At least Eren’s having fun, passion gleaming through his concentrated gaze as he proceeds to make the world’s best pasta. Nothing is added on—no vegetables, no meat. Levi had taken Eren to be a meat-lover. No wonder he’s so thin, lanky and twiggy, growing only in height (unfortunately) and not in muscles.

Where does he get his boundless energy? Where do his extra skip of a step come from? What does his puny but powerful brain feed on when doing impossible physics questions and designing state-of-the-art machinery? What does Eren Jaeger run on?

Certainly not Duracell batteries.

He is human. And a human needs proper nutrients. A balanced meal that is admittedly hard to come by for the mothers of hardworking college students live far from home’s comfort. They all need to make do with what they have.

Nevertheless, Eren can do better.

Without speaking a word, Levi steps into the premises. Grabs a few greens from the fridge, some eggs and a slab of salmon from the freezer. Takes out his own pan and prepares for a cooking session. He feels Eren’s eyes on him and hears a tentative inquiry whether if he should leave.

No, stay and watch. He’s going to teach him some basics and Eren _will_ apply what he’s learned in the future.

That Sunday afternoon, the third roommate finally crawls out of her room for a study-break, catching sight of a rather peaceful interaction between Levi and Eren—the senior silently cooking his way to a healthy meal while the younger stands by and observes. His green eyes flitter from the stove occasionally, lingering on Levi’s calm face. She can’t figure out why Eren’s constantly biting his bottom lip—is he that hungry, or is it a poor attempt to hide his smile?

.-.

It’s well into the night and Levi stares at the crumbling ceiling that needed a fresh layer of paint. His mind runs over the recent event, trying to go about how exactly had he succumbed to being Eren’s momentary cook. He’s never made food for anyone—except that one time for Isabel and later she vowed never to ask him again because “you’re feeding a human being, Big Bro, not some dying giraffe being put out of its misery” (he’s gotten better).

He replays the scene over and over again, feeling Eren’s fixed stare on him. Quite impressed and amazed he was, adding airy praises to Levi’s culinary skills. Sometimes he stands too close, hover over his shoulder to get a clear look on what Levi’s doing, to which the latter shoos him away because close proximity unnerves the man. He scoffs with amusement upon remembering Eren’s stuffed cheeks, him hungrily consuming Levi’s simple meal. Like a chipmunk. Munchkin.

But nowhere in his memories foretell signs of sudden thoughts provoking him to offer culinary service to Eren. They just…fell naturally in place. Levi doesn’t know how he does it.

Eren truly is an unimaginable force of nature.

.-.

Other times, he’s just beyond sensible comprehension.

The carton is half-full with remaining of its eggs in the process of being taken out, cracked, and beaten. Six has already met their fate, six more to go. A terrifying sight, one that squeezes and flips Levi’s stomach a full rotation. The panicked look across Eren’s face doesn’t help lighten the situation.

“Levi!”

Said man crooks his head to the side in suspicion. That alarmed, pleading tone—obviously asking for help.

“My eggs expire today!”

All twelve of them. Of course.

Levi gives a sigh— _what can you do?_ —and trudges down the hall to his room. It’s ten already, and after a long day of gruesome case work, Levi is ready for some shut-eye. That is, if Eren allows him.

“Levi!”

“Why didn’t you cook them sooner?”

“I bought too much. Thought one carton wasn’t enough so I took two…”

“Lesson learned, munchkin. Next time, just take one.”

He’s not a full step farther before Eren calls out to him again. Sighing, Levi asks rhetorically, “what the hell can I do?”

“Cook with me?”

“ _Twelve_ eggs? What the fuck are you going to make?”

The cheeky brat already knows he’s caught Levi. Counting one by one with his fingers, he cites his list. “Omelettes, scrambled eggs, egg and potato salad, boiled eggs, steamed eggs, eggs and cucumber, eggs and tomato...yep, think that pretty much covers it.”

Levi stares long and hard at the boy, glad to see some shame colouring on his face. A hand grips over his mouth in contemplation, wondering why out of anyone, Hanji decides to launch _this_ bright star in his lap. A universal wonder.

Eren flashes him an encouraging smile, his white teeth shining with hope. Truly a wonder.

“You won’t be able to sleep anyway, with the noise I’ll be making in the kitchen. Might as well quicken the process with an extra set of helping hands. Please Levi, you’re my only hope.”

Munchkin’s got a point: sleep is top priority.

Spending another hour with this boy-genius is a necessary sacrifice.

.-.

Six lunch boxes sealed and stowed away in the fridge. Kitchen finally clean and void of the mess they’ve created in the last two hours.

A long sigh of relief fills the evening air.

“So…can you also help me eat them?”

“Please reflect long and hard about your life choices tonight.”

* * *

Here’s to Eren Jaeger for coming up with the most idiosyncratic way to obtain a guy’s number.

It starts with cold weather. Wind and rain should slap against the face until it turns a sickly hue of pale blue. Have thick dark clouds dominate the sky, as if this dreariness will not vanquish until after a very long time. The colder the better. Gets the sympathy moving within a certain stoic, dark-haired male who will falter in his footsteps upon finding a shivering young man sitting at the entrance.

What the hell happened to you, he will inquire in that tone sounding like he hasn’t got a care. (But he does a little bit.) The younger individual will gather his shaky breath for a brief explanation: locked himself out and had been waiting for someone to open the front entrance.

Taking in Eren’s hopeless state, Levi lets out a sigh. What is he going to do with him?

Once inside the vicinity and reaching the top floor, Levi orders Eren to stay put. No way is the wet monkey going to splatter acid rain all over their place. The senior goes to search for Eren’s towel in the bathroom but finds nothing hanging on the walls. Where is it, he inquires, to which the other replies how it’s inside his room, which is also locked and inaccessible.

Lord give him a break.

But the kid can’t stay cold and wet.

Levi goes to fetch his own towel and hands it over to Eren. He gladly takes it, wrapping the towel over his shoulder and rubbing his hair dry. It’s a good thing he’s gotten a haircut, or Levi would’ve witnessed an even bigger mess. When done, Eren gives his head a shake and tightens the towel around his body.

If he doesn’t resemble an oversized puppy overzealous from his fair share of playtime in the puddles, Levi doesn’t know else what to compare him with.

The dark brown tousled hair and his tawny skin contrasts against Levi’s cream-white towel and the boy’s disheveled state, his cheeks pinking with warmth and lips more puffed than usual—it makes Levi want to…

Pet him.

Right. Pat his head, give that messy mop of hair an even more bedraggled look.

Levi may be staring off too long. Perhaps that’s why Eren’s eyes are so big and glossy and holding a tinge of mixed curiousity and confusion. Why he’s all of a suddenly still in his position, not even a breath is stirred. Eren doesn’t blink, keeps his gaze fixed on the older man.

Like an opened book.

Grey eyes slide down to those quivering lips, purple hinting amongst the swollen reds.

Twerp needs warmth.

Warmth…when has the temperature suddenly risen in this house?

Snapping out of his daze, Levi clears his dry throat and bobs his head towards the back.

“Get in the shower, munchkin. Give yourself a good hot rinse.”

He denies hearing any sigh of disappointment? Relief? Levi’s not sure

He blocks his ears out for a moment, blocks out the sound of clothes ruffling in the bathroom, the squeaky turn of the shower knob, the rushing waters. He broods over why his room is right across the bathroom. He can hear every movement of what ought to be private and away from prying ears. It’s annoying, distracting, a disruption for when he needs to study or sleep or just have a moment of peace.

Doesn’t know how long he’s sit on the bed, his eyes finding the tree outside his window a good source of entertainment. Only when a cough breaks the silence, deliberately louder the second time, does Levi return from space and whips around to see a naked Eren holding his wet clothes. A towel, dangles dangerously around his sharp hips and Levi growls.

“Unless you plan to give a strip-tease, I suggest you put on some clothes.”

Eren’s blush reaches to the bottom of his neck. “I’m not gonna put these back on, they’re wet!”

“Then find something else.”

The brunet knocks his head then points to his room’s direction, giving Levi a sassy look. “Locked out of my room, remember?”

So he does. Levi’s up before his brain registers and goes to his drawer to fish out some spare clothes. “When can I stop taking care of your helpless ass?”

“It’s only one time,” huffs Eren but he receives the tee and shorts Levi hands him with much gratitude. “Besides, you don’t seem to mind.”

Levi rebuffs with a scoff, “I’ve seen better.”

No he hasn’t.

He doesn’t take great interest in ogling at other people’s body. There are more substantial tasks at hand. Admittedly though, the lean muscles lining nicely down Eren’s arms and abdominal prove to be substantial enough. Levi can say the t-shirt is almost a tight fit, reaching just below Eren’s belly-button and exposing a patch of skin. He certainly hopes the brute won’t stretch his clothes.

“You’re totally checking me out.”

“Don’t kid yourself.”

Levi ignores the smug grin across Eren’s face, fighting the urge to wipe it off. Grabbing the towel left on the chair, Levi heads over to the laundry room and dumps it in the washer. It’ll be another hour or so before he can take a shower, having only possessing one towel and said article needs serious cleansing.

He returns to find Eren standing awkwardly in the middle of his room, a sheepish and guilty countenance gracing his face. It’s a look whenever Eren wants to ask a question but is hesitant to do so—a rare occasion and so unlike of his brazen character.

Levi helps him.

“What is it now?”

Eren nibbles on his bottom lip before speaking, “can I…burrow a jacket or something? I left mine in my room.”

“You’re going out in this rain? After I just sacrificed my towel and shower-time to clean you up?”

“Thank you for that, by the way. And I’m just gonna head over to Armin’s place for the night.”

Levi tilts his head in slight confusion. “What for? Just stay here.”

He witnesses as the tip of Eren’s ears glow a healthy red. Truly a puzzle, how a hot-blooded young man with such a profane and violent mouth when exterminating 2D aliens in a game can flip a side and be this timid and embarrassed.

“Y-you don’t mind?”

“I do.” Levi watches in amusement as Eren’s flustered face dissolves into disappointment then to hope as Levi throws in his exception. “But I rather see you warm and dry and not a drowned rat who’ll catch a cold from the rain and spread viruses around the house. So be sensible and stay put.”

He’s sleeping on the floor though—Levi’s not going to be that generous but Eren’s fine with it. He helps his senior prepare a makeshift futon with spare bed-sheets and tosses his backpack over for a pillow. Disapproving, Levi gets out a few more clothes and demands Eren use that instead. No dirty backpacks on his sheet.

Like a sleepover, Eren remarks and Levi scoffs at his childish antics. The kid can dig out all sorts of amusement in any situation. While Levi searches for their landlord’s number, Eren chooses to roll around on his new-made bed for the night.

“Your room’s pretty spacious,” he comments, browsing around the four walls in search of distinctive décor that may perhaps reveal a bit of Levi’s character. Barely anything, save for a four-month calendar already filled to the brim with reminders and deadlines.

“It’s good enough,” says Levi absentmindedly. He types in a short message, informing their landlord on Eren being locked in. Hopefully they can come by tomorrow. He doesn’t notice Eren migrating across the room to close in on a certain photo frame on his desk.

“Are they your family?”

Levi is not one for sentimentality. Keeping memories by way of photos and letters is not his job to do. The task is solely in the hands of a fiery young girl with hair as red-hot as her temper.

“Might as well consider that.”

Eren waits for Levi to continue; but when no further words are spoken, he presses on.

“Lovely pair, they look fun to hang around with. Do they go to school here?”

“High school.”

“Ahh, they planning to attend Trost though? What are they going into? If it’s engineering, I can help with freshman courses!”

Levi resists the urge to chuck his phone at Eren. Since when does entering someone’s room automatically enable a game of 20 Questions? The light in those baby-green eyes stop Levi before he reacts defensively, reminding him how Eren is a naturally curious chap who doesn’t know where boundaries lie. Levi thumbs the number pad on his phone and a fleeting thought crosses him.

He almost stops when he acknowledges what he’s about to relinquish. But knowing Eren, incidents like this won’t be a one-time thing. Better safe than sorry.

Levi calls for Eren’s attention, holding out his cell to the boy. “Take my number down, and give me yours. Next time a stupid thing like this happens again, you can reach me so you don’t have to wait like a lost puppy.”

Sparkles appear in Eren’s gaze and a wide smile creep upon his lips. A soft humming to Mraz and Callait’s ‘Lucky’ brings comfort in the quiet room, as he proceeds exchange numbers and Levi suspects this is some sort of feat for Eren. It’s not. There is purpose, logical sense to this, a necessary act of precaution if troubles arise again in the residency of 42 Marshall. This is only for—

“Emergencies, Eren,” Levi reiterates. “Call or text only if there’s an emergency.”

“Aye aye, Captain.”

Hearing that doesn’t reassure him.

.-.

Of course he doesn’t listen. Completely turns a blind eye and flushes Levi’s words out of his ears.

In the middle of his lecture, Levi feels a buzz in his pocket. Finds it odd, for no one except Hanji and Isabel messages him and there’s only about a maximum of seven or eight contacts in his phone. Hanji is vanished to some-land and Isabel knows better than to disrupt his daytime classes.

He opts to ignore it. A few more buzzes follow through.

It’s starting to get a little irritating.

He slides his phone halfway out and sneaks a peek.

_boooooored. u in class?  
about to fall asleep. keep me awake, mr. accountant :)_

Eren then drops the texts messages in favour of sending photos. Shameless selfies of him sprawled across the table with sleepy half-lidded eyes and a ridiculous pout.

He never stops—keeps them coming. Levi switches off the vibrate function and enjoys the rest of his day free from Eren’s sporadic disruptions. Only when he’s finally done with his lectures and is on his way home, does the raven check the eleven messages still waiting to be read.

A few remarks here and there. Food porn (even a hot dog is appealing to the brunet). A big red 73 on his assignment. The most recently sent picture is of Eren himself, holding up the peace sign to his cheeky smirk, and the background behind him looks awfully like their shower tub.

_got home before you. looks like a cold shower for you tonight_

Clearly doesn’t understand what ‘emergences’ mean.

Goes against every principle, every word he says.

And the most absurd thing is…Levi lets him.

.-.

Of course, not every memo comes as charming.

He’s just about to get on the express bus when a familiar pulse goes off in his pocket. Expecting another photo of a stray cat that now gleam under Eren’s undivided cooing and petting, Levi’s half-amused smile turns into a rigid line of disbelief.

_Hey Levi, it’s best not to come home right now._

The raven scrutinizes the curt message—no smileys, no teasing tone present—trying to figure out what seems so different about it before it dawns him. Eren rarely uses capitals, unless he’s in some predicament that leads him to be formal and polite.

_What happened?_

_the toilet’s clogged…i’m so sorry!!! ( ><)_

Sorry with three exclamation marks doesn’t do crap.

Levi immediately presses the call button. A soft, hesitant ‘hello?’ comes through and Levi sets off in flames.

“Are you shitting out golden bricks here?! You consuming enough fruits and vegetables? Getting enough fiber in your digestive system?”

“I blame the eggs, it’s the eggs!”

“That was last week, you dunce.”

“I’m burrowing the neighbour’s plunger. Not to worry, Levi, it’ll be over and flushed down in no time.”

“Please, spare me the graphic details. I’m staying out until it’s fixed. So you better put that plunger to good use or I’ll plunge the fuck out of you into the ground.”

A mutual silence slithers in-between them, before Levi stiffly corrects himself.

“With..the plunger…of course.”

“Right, of course.”

Levi hangs up first, presses the button before any warning is given. He stares at his phone for the longest time, the foreign weight pushing against his hand. He takes a heavy moment of self-reflection, analyzing his poor choice of words and wondering why now of all times is he doubtful about his (lack of) humour. There’s a millisecond of disappointment in himself, being unable to hold a casual conversation like a normal human being, but he quickly pushes out of that hole and he faces the twilight night with an impassive face.

He takes refuge in Shadis’ Korner. It’s the only local café that serves decent coffee with bearable prices. Stays open until one in the evening so Levi’s got some time to wait out. Got some more studying to do, the shop owner asks after Levi orders his usual. Unfortunately no—the situations more grim than that.

A few pages into the book and halfway down his cup, Levi receives a text from Eren. It’s a photo, a selfie, of an ecstatic green-eyed brown-haired boy crouching beside the toilet, now empty and clean as if nothing had happened. Eren dares to strike a peace sign beside his wide smile.

_All cleaned up for your derriere’s pleasure!_

Levi isn’t aware of the endearing warmth laced in his scoff.

.-.

When he comes home, Levi steps inside to a comical scene. Eren stands in the common room, looking at him expectantly like a good boy-scout. There’s a plunger in front of him, welcoming Levi with a big red bow on the handle.

“My offer of peace,” Eren announces, his voice bright and confident like he knows just what pleases his roommate.

Levi accepts.

(still goes on to boil some Brussel sprouts and force down bananas on Eren—he will not tolerate another episode of this again)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the egg-incident really happened. clogged toilets are not fun. they were traumatizing experiences.


	3. This Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> levi makes friends. yay. (with the help of eren of course)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> business jargon have shown up often here. a ‘business case’ is a formal proposal, usually documented on paper, which presents a project/business idea/investigation.

Lately, he’s been unusually restless.

Not the kind where he can’t sleep at night—the whispers of Eren’s hums and guitar have become good help. Nor the kind where his nerves are on fire and are constantly urging him to move; but the kind where he pauses, taps his foot in consideration, glances to his phone before his will gives up and he grabs the devilish object to check for anything new.

Any messages, photos, smileys.

Anyone would do, but Eren preferably.

And it frustrates the hell out of his mind because Levi’s never been this... _restless_ before. Mobile devices have just been a means of simple communication when the need arrives. Now it serves as a constant reminder, a distraction that Levi has so willingly welcomed because he keeps checking his goddamned phone every ten minutes or so. He berates himself for having such an itch.

The annoying pit of disappointment doesn’t help with his studies either. Levi doesn’t know when he can dig up gold and when not. It’s clear that Eren doesn’t follow a schedule, choosing to bother him at random times of the day with spams of nonsense. Then, he can disappear for an hour or two (sometimes three and that’s when Levi feels a ball of concern boiling).

A notification from Eren lights up a candle but when there are none, the flame is killed by a cold wash of dejection.

He knew he shouldn’t have given Eren his number.

But what’s done is done and Levi can only fix himself in the matter.

Weekend afternoons are spent with his textbook, analysing business cases and crunching numbers to figure out how a company can fuck up over its financials. But when the weather is shitting over itself and a certain green-eyed boy keeps popping up in his otherwise studious mind, Levi fights off the distractions with some reading.

The measly ray of sun is enough for Levi without having his lights turned on. He prefers the comfort of dim environments that sometimes pulls him to sleep. The light pitter-patter of rain against his window sets a fitting mood for the desolate scene in the book. His two other roommates are out and about, leaving him alone and at peace.

A good amount of pages in and Levi’s eyes flutter to a rest. It’s a rare chance for him to steal naps during the day and his body can’t deny the perfect condition laid out for him. Only a few dozing breaths, however, before the opening of the entrance door shakes his senses awake.

Some shuffling, then a pause.

Levi catches every step as the entrant cautiously nears his room. Drawling and heavy on the floor, he knows that it’s Eren. What puzzles the raven is why the footsteps stop right in front of his door, waiting a few seconds before retreating again. His silent question is answered when a sudden burst of singing shakes the house.

Eren’s version of ‘Sugar’ echoes down the hallway and Levi is amusingly impressed by the high notes the boy can reach without having to shriek them out. Never took the boy for mainstream music—then again, Eren keeps surprising him at every corner.

A couple of cupboard banging and pans clashing, Levi reckons Eren is preparing to cook his enormous amount of pig-food for the week. The boy’s singing is shortly replaced with a zealous address.

“Alright, what should we make today? Mac’n’Cheese, pasta, or instant noodles?”

Levi frowns, tuning in his ears for another person in the kitchen but he catches no second pair of feet.

The fridge is opened and Eren then exclaims, “crap. No tomato sauce. Mac’n’Cheese it is!”

It soon occurs to Levi just whom the young man is speaking to when he breaks into a booming sequence of ‘I’ll Make a Man Out of You’—except in this version, Eren sings to his KD box about how he’ll transform the tiny pasta pieces into cheesy goodness. A few shuffling against the floor has Levi guessing that he’s dancing as well, grooving along in his solo act while making a mess in the kitchen.

A curve lifts in the corner of Levi’s lips. Eren is talking to himself. It’s like his mind doesn’t stop vomiting words—the kid’s got a whole lot to say.

“Yeah fuck you too, pot,” Eren barks in one instance, when Levi reckons the idiot probably burnt himself.

It’s an interesting process, the way that Jaeger-brain works. Levi doesn’t realise how his book is now bookmarked and closed, his head slightly turned towards his door as he attentively hears every remark Eren needs to share with the world. Later when he’s done cooking, Eren stays quiet for a while in his room before his voice erupts from the silence again.

“The fuck is a bath bomb? ... How does that play music? How does that make magic? ... This post makes no sense at all! What kind of head-canons are these?!”

Then, moments later, “Hah! Dumbass, as if I’m sharing my code with you.”

Levi hears a faint clattering of the keyboard, followed by a series of fascinating comments that make no sense to Levi when he’s left out of context. But during the couple of minutes, he’s learned that Eren has an assignment due the following Wednesday, that he makes snarky remarks of current trends on social media, that he’s rooting for Tony Stark and Steve Rogers’ hookup, and that he is very much so interested in men.

“Oh bend me over and fuck me sideways.” He catches Eren blurting out. A trail of sounds suspiciously familiar to those of porn videos creep in the air and Levi’s breathing slow to a pause as he cranes to hear Eren’s next words. “Holy shit he’s damn hot...now there’s a piece of meat I wouldn’t mind devouring.”

Funny how a couple of ridiculously lewd words can arouse Levi’s otherwise tamed libido.

Before shit gets real weird, Levi grabs his phone and types a short text to Eren, hoping the latter will hint in.

_Can you be any louder?_

Granted, it’s not the most enthusiastic message for Levi to send considering how he seldom replies to Eren’s; though he is saving him from creating future blackmail material. Levi can hear Eren’s sudden dread when the laptop is hurriedly shut but Levi’s already opening his door and out he emerges with a nonchalant face. Down the hall, he spots Eren standing at his doorway, a panicked expression painting his face.

Admittedly, the red tint on his cheek makes a nice view and Levi almost gives in to josh at Eren’s embarrassment. Though mercy is still present and Levi pulls a reprimanding look.

“Some of us are trying to read in peace.”

His earlier show of a sassy and bold boy gone, Eren is now reduced to a sputtering bunny caught in the act for stealing carrots. “S-sorry, thought you weren’t home...I didn’t see lights on or your slippers.”

“Oh, is that what you were checking? When you stopped in front of my room earlier?”

No, screw mercy. Levi pushes and forces, wanting to see that flushed glow on Eren brighten. They know, they both know that there is no escape for Eren. Levi’s caught him red-handed and with the depth that Levi has dug out, Eren can’t possibly lie. The boy is not made for lying, Levi has concluded a while ago.

“Wh-where are your slippers?”

If that is an attempt to draw Levi away from the topic at hand, then it is poorly executed. “On the balcony. I just washed them.”

“Oh...”

“Are you going to check the balcony every time now to see if I’m home?”

Eren shoots him a panicked and strange face before stepping in to shut the door. “N-no! I’m not that shameless!”

Could have fooled them both.

.-.-.-.

And that is how Levi uncovered Eren’s secret passion for stage-performance.

Not that he shies away from showcasing his all-too-many talents for the arts. He is no stranger in flaunting his musical self and is not one tad-bit bashful from showing his soft, romantic side. The goofball bouncing from wall to wall in endless energy is a façade that Eren is more so reluctant to show. Levi understands—there’s an inner self one keeps from anyone witnessing and it only comes out when they are alone—but he does find a little enjoyment catching Eren in the act.

When Isabel requested Levi’s help to find suitable housing for when she attends school in the fall, the first place Levi suggested was 42 Marshall. He will move out by August end and she will take his room. The redhead refused, hoping to live in a more home environment like a one-story house. So Levi agreed to take the girl house-hunting around the neighbourhood.

Before he leaves the apartment, Levi gives Eren a pointed look. The latter is donned in a tee, sweatpants, and a full-body apron with a head-cloth to match. The boy is ready for a nice session of house chores, and he better be for Levi expects nothing less of squeaky clean. This week’s duty falls on Eren and it’s his first time for the matter.

“No shitting around. I’ll inspect every corner when I return.”

Eren pulls out his signature ‘aye-aye captain!’ and Levi gives way to his cheekiness.

He meets Isabel and Farlan downstairs in the driveway, the two unaware of Levi’s new roommate for the term and asking about Erwin and Hanji. He’s content to see the two high-school seniors healthy and well—Izzy being her usual vehement self and Farlan quietly observing on the side. Levi listens as Izzy rambles on about her final year, the trio going through rounds of open-houses along the way. Izzy isn’t a picky girl, but her foster brother is and he won’t accept anything less than his standard of comfort-living for her.

By the time they reach their last stop, the sky has turned to brilliant red dusk with golden specks at the corner of the world. The house across from 42 Marshall just so happens to have a vacant room and Levi thinks, why not? It’s reassuring to know Isabel will live in the street most familiar to him and Erwin can keep an eye on her when he’s not here.

As the tenant give them a small tour around the house, Levi following closely behind Izzy and scrutinizing every streak of grime on the walls and cupboards, the group hears Farlan call out an observation. His aquamarine eyes  stray out the window, looking straight ahead to Levi’s apartment with a spark of mirth.

“That fellow is having too much fun with his broom.” Farlan turns to Levi. “Your broom, I presume?”

Levi doesn’t need to look to guess who he’s talking of and sure enough, one glance across the street and he sees Eren rocking to his headphones and frolicking across the kitchen with his trusty broom. The boy must not be aware how easy it is to see through the windowpanes, now that the sky has darkened, for he’s allowing himself once again to be a total doofus.

Isabel’s sudden interest and questioning become muddled background noises as Levi witnesses the private show. Silly boy, thinking he’s alone. The raven wonders for a moment what song Eren is jamming to—mainstream or one of those flashy Korean-pop songs that make Levi’s head ring with insanity? Eren’s quick movements and sassy body-rolls hint that this is not some heavy-rock or slow ballad that’s currently playing to his ears.

Only at Isabel’s next few words of indication does Levi snap out of his reverie.

“I want to meet him!”

“No.”

He acts nonchalant as a mouse disinterested in cheese would, ignoring the piqued interest lighting up on Farlan and Izzy’s face. He refused all too quickly and he’ll pay the price for it soon.

“Why not? I want to know the guy who’s living with Big Bro all this time. What happened to Hanji?”

“She went to Neverland. He’s just another sublet, like the one for Erwin.”

“Well I want to meet them both!”

The resolution in Isabel’s declaration tells Levi that he’s lost the fight. One glance at Farlan and the blonde’s shrug advises him to back down. There’s only one way getting out of the girl’s stubbornness and that’s by appeasing to her request.

Their tour around the house comes to an end with Levi informing the tenant that a consideration is in place. Though when the tenant casually comments on the spectacle earlier on, stating with a chuckle how they always catch Eren dancing in the apartment when alone (and additionally praising the boy’s quirky movements), Levi instantly crosses the consideration off.

He leads Farlan and Isabel across the street, returning home with a queasy feel of unease in his stomach. For Eren’s sake of dignity, Levi should warn him that he’s never alone, never safe from wandering eyes.

Though when he enters the cozy semblance of 42 Marshall’s Unit A and his eyes befalls on Eren, all jittery thoughts are thrown out the window. The  brunet is sweeping the floor, finishing up the last of his duties, and greets them with an unwavering smile. Any hint of his previous bouncing is absent except for the misplaced twig of a hair at the side. Thinks he can get away from his little charade.

Isabel takes the rein and introduces her lovely self, though her eyes are never far from speculation. Outgoing as she is, a certain sense of guardedness never leaves especially when it comes to her big bro. If Eren catches on to that, he doesn’t show it. Braving a warm countenance, he welcomes Isabel in open arms.

Farlan must’ve surmised by now, Levi notes with a side-glance to the blonde, how Eren’s glowing smile can rival against Izzy’s radiance.

“Mechatronics? That’s pretty cool!” Isabel pauses before asking, no hint of timidity in her voice. “What is that?”

Eren laughs, ringing the common room with his jovial sound. “I guess you can say it’s a weird mix of computer, electrical, and systems design engineering. Like robotics! We generally design and build robots and machines that can work on their own.”

The light green in Isabel’s irises shimmered with admiration. Talk of higher-academics and subjects unknown to her greatly aspires interests and Levi can see how she enjoys being treated like an adult by Eren. Isabel is never one to hold back on her words and emotions, but when Eren asks in return what she’ll be studying, the redhead slightly slants her gaze to the side.

“Biology major.”

“Smart cookie! I can’t help you there, almost failed first year bio,” jested Eren. “It’s a miracle I made it through actually—I’m no good with memorization.”

“I want to go into marine biology!” says Isabel with more enthusiasm and Eren hums in fascination.

He listens earnestly to her chatter, eyes never once straying to disinterest, and sometimes adds his own input. Curiousity is laced in his voice when he asks questions, which Isabel is more than glad to answer. Levi observes in peace and notes how much of a people-person Eren really is. To be able to warm up with Isabel so quickly is no less than impressive.

Eren then finally introduces himself to Farlan, who has been standing quietly on the side. Their exchange is reserved, more so on Farlan’s end for he is most perceptive of them three. Hope he’s well-adjusted to Levi as a roommate, Farlan says and Eren cracks a laugh, commenting how Levi’s the one who’s tolerating him.

“He’s a real good cook,” Eren adds, a flushed tint on his cheek. “You guys don’t want to see what kind of mush I’ve been eating before.”

A still breeze of silence washes over them and Levi can feel the impending stare slowly creeping to his direction. He makes a sucking sound through his teeth and avoids all questioning eyes from Izzy and Farlan.

“But big bro never co—”

“Nice dancing there, Eren.”

He keeps his eyes on the growing redness at the tip of Eren’s ears, ignoring the sly smile curving on Izzy’s lips.

“Yeah, you really know how to bust a move,” she adds. “Maybe you can put on a private show for us next time.”

“How about no.” Levi glares a warning at her.

“You can practice in front of big bro.”

Eren rushes across the kitchen and shoves the broom into the cupboard, squeaking out a, “how did you guys see?!”

It is then when noble Farlan comes to the rescue, rolling his eyes at the other two. He gave a quick explanation, much to Eren’s horror as he turned to look at the house across the street, and attempted to reassure him that they really couldn’t see much. Which is a lie, but anything to calm the pepper-hot steams boiling at the surface of Eren’s skin.

Isabel and Farlan’s visit is rushed to an end when Levi decides enough is enough and they should get home soon. He calls for a taxi and waits downstairs with the two, half-listening to Izzy’s over-zealous raving on how lovely of a person Eren is. He can feel something coming from the girl, and he’d like to get her away before it becomes substantial in her words.

But when it comes to the spirited girl, nothing escapes her mind and falls short from her mouth.

“Can we keep him?”

Levi responds by slamming the car door on her and barking the driver to go.

When he returns, Levi figures Eren has shut himself behind closed doors from embarrassment. It’s comically contradicting to see two sides—both shy and brazen—embodied in one person. He sees Eren’s room opened however, and goes to check on the boy.

Just out of pure curiousity.

It is that casual curiousity that pulls him to lean against the doorframe, watching Eren practice on his guitar.

And just out of innocent intrigue, Levi manages out a smirk. “So, no private show?”

Eren gives him a quick glare before turning back to his guitar. A low and soft hymn plays with the air as he tries to figure out the chords and his finger positions.

“They’re nice fellows,” says Eren without looking up.

“Farlan? Yeah. Isabel can get a little...too excited sometimes.”

“Charming lady. Farlan too, I can see they really look up to you.”

Levi hums half-heartedly, choosing to focus on the movement of Eren’s fingers. They’re long and bony, strength in every press, and Levi can feel every pull of its tendons. They’re formed from many years of practice on the piano and guitar, no doubt, calloused at the tips and can stretch impressive distances in width. For a fleeting moment, a subconscious thought on how they will feel against his own hands zooms by before he realises he is being addressed to.

“I’m performing a cover at the music showcase. You should come check it out!”

“Never heard of that. When and where?”

“SLC, end of the month. Student council’s trying to haul in more students to join music clubs.”

Levi grows quiet. The student life centre, or anywhere with crowds for the matter, is not for him. That repugnant stench of fried oil and ear-piercing noise churns his stomach with a sick anxiety, and it’s here when he is reminded of how Eren fits in that sort of environment. How he is a social butterfly comfortable in fluttering about while Levi very much prefers to stay in his cocoon.

“Love it if you’d come..”

His non-committed “maybe” strays them back to silence, the tangy strings of Eren’s guitar conveying what desires to be said between the two of them. The boy’s attention is kept to his instrument, giving Levi sight to only the parted bangs dangling heavily. He finds it displeasing, not being able to read Eren.

But when he finally looks up, with a hidden tenderness in his eyes, Levi is taken back. “It’s nice to meet your family, Levi. Real nice.”

His heart makes a nice loopy spin.

.-.-.-.-.

Eren seems to have this magic working for him.

A strange, mystical sort of bewitchment that that emanates from him unknowingly and is irresistible for anyone who’s caught under this enchantment. Like, fuck—even now when he’s not present, Levi’s using big, romantic words in which he otherwise wouldn’t if it were not for Eren. It’s like when someone pass by, and their natural scent invades your nose and you can’t help but be drawn to that sweet scent…

So Levi blames Eren when he’s involuntarily brought closer to people he’d rather not be.

Not to say there is something wrong with his assigned group for case-building. Eld and Auruo are valuable members of the team, competent and experienced with case projects. Gunther is a genius of his own kind and Petra brings harmony in the group. Levi has no doubt in their work effort and success, but that is where the line is usually drawn.

For when does he have the inclination to befriend classmates?

Separate business from pleasure, as they always say. But that has little meaning for Eren. He comes, lures, captivates, and loops Levi along into the circle he so carefully avoids stepping into, and it’s all done so inadvertently that by the time Levi realises, he doesn’t even mind the new bonds he has formed.

Project meetings are usually done on campus. Though with midterm exams nearing and thus the full occupancy of every study space found, they have decided to meet at Levi’s place. With the other two roommates gone, the group is able to concentrate for a few hours, working efficiently and diligently on their report. When Eren returns, however, all focus are quickly thrown out the window.

Levi once again witnesses Eren’s natural charm as he slips into their group. Not even ten minutes in and he already has a conversation flowing abundantly amongst them. It’s a skill, Levi decides, a skill to keep up with idle talks that has nothing to do with school. Or magic.

And when Eren decides to bring Levi in…oh no. He’s not going to be tricked.

“Yeah, Levi’s like a grumpy version of Mr. Clean, always reminding us to keep everything in order. Right?” Eren nudges Levi by the elbow, evoking a short grunt from the male. He re-reads a section of the report again, having gotten lost in the jumble of words.

Eren sighs. “I’m probably the worst roommate to have, by his standards anyway. Keeps him up at night with all my fumbling on the guitar.”

Petra’s interest piques at the mention. “Do you play, Eren?”

“Yep! Well, still a beginner and blindly feeling my way around.” Levi disagrees but he keeps quiet. “I’m better on the keyboard, actually. Works with the vocals.”

Auruo scoffs and crosses his arm, unimpressed. “What, you can act and dance too?”

“It’d be awesome to join cabaret, but I’m not on their level.” Jesus, every word that comes out of that kid’s mouth is brimming with modesty. “You guys should come to the music showcase! Levi might be coming.”

That’s when the room is suddenly quiet and all eyes glance at Levi in curiousity. He stays unfazed, reading the document before him (hasn’t he read over this paragraph?) even though his ears are tuned in. Unaware to everyone’s surprise, Eren continues his chatter.

“I have a feeling he’d be more inclined to if you guys are going. It’ll be fun, a nice break from midterms!”

It is Eld who takes one for the team and asks Levi directly, “What do you say, Levi, want to check it out?”

What is peer pressure? Levi knows the literal definition but he’s never had to experience it. Maybe because he’s never cared for trivial things and the need to agree or impress others. The current pressing force on him is foreign, with Levi suddenly well aware of four pairs of expectant eyes on him and the fifth…the fifth is not even hiding its shimmering hope for greener grass.

Eren seems to have got Levi right where he wants him to be.

He set the report down and looks to the window, giving his strained eyes a break.

“I’ll think about it.”

Eren reckons that it’s better than a maybe and he gives Levi a satisfied pat on the back. Realising the time and how much he has stolen from their group-work, Eren excuses himself to his room. He takes off in light spirit and leaves everyone in the room a comfortable and amiable mood. Like a breath of fresh air, Levi notes how relaxed and familiar his team is now with each other.

Even Petra, who rarely addresses directly at Levi gains sudden courage.

“He’s a charming friend, Levi.”

Auruo makes a soft jeering sound, downplaying Petra’s praising regard but no disagreements escapes him either. The others agree quietly, observing for any change on Levi’s face. He reveals none, having focusing his attention back on the report again, and so they press for more.

“Truth be told, I’m glad he came by,” Petra confesses, shyly tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “He’s like the ultimate ice-breaker for us and we get to see you talk more.”

They should know him by now. “I don’t have much to say.”

“Nonsense! We’d really like to get to know you more. And to think all it’d be this easy; you were so relaxed when Eren was around.”

This takes him by surprise and his head whips up to his group. Gunther snaps his fingers like a scientist experiencing a moment of discovery. “So that’s what was different! Couldn’t place my hand on it earlier.”

Another huff comes from Auruo, muttering how Levi was just being painfully polite but they all know. It’s quite the opposite. Petra places a small lecture on the bitter male and the two squirrels commence their little squabble. It’s all background noise to Levi, considering how strung up he currently is on Petra’s observation.

Relaxed when Eren was around.

Was he?

Wasn’t aware of this at all, with him so engrossed in the report they’re supposed to be finishing up. But he looks at the document in his hands and it comes to realisation that he’s been on the same page, same stupid paragraph, for the last half-hour. No conclusive deductions ring in his hand, only Eren’s boyish laughter and the ease of his voice mixing with his group’s.

The thought stays in the back of his mind well into the end of their meeting. By the time they have submitted their final product online, the sun has long abandoned them. Eren has been working on dinner for a while, quietly humming to himself and mindful not to distract the group. One look at his teammates and the offer flies out of Levi’s mouth before it registers in his mind.

“It’s late. Stay for dinner.”

He’s pretty sure there are a plethora number of ways to word it nicely, but Levi’s still miles away from aptly invite people over without having to sound like a demanding fish out of water.

The hesitance on their faces quickly fades when Eren, having heard them, bounces towards them in welcoming excitement. Hence here they are, gathered snuggly in the common room munching on their pizza. Conversations run parallel around the room with Eren and Auruo’s voice booming the loudest.

He feels no churning nausea inside. There is no imaginary cold-sweat running up his skin. Nor a tugging feel of his strictly-defined line between business and pleasure. Just...comfort.

It’s certainly a change for once. A change in which Levi is unsure what to make of it.

All he knows is that Eren has worked his magic again, on him. Chirped and gushed, lured and pulled, and strung him closer to those he’s never expected to be close with. It unsettles him, leaves him beguiled and restless. And it’s day by day, hour by hour, second by second, that Levi slowly grasps the hard truth how he’s coming to terms with it.

This restlessness, the puzzlement, Eren’s magic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> social anxiety anyone? i get to use my favourite word in here (OvO)


	4. Be the Nugget to my Dipping Sauce

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> midterms time. since eren can’t take care of himself during this dire period of sweat and tears, someone has to.
> 
> _"There are better ways to distract yourself."_
> 
> _"Jacking off? Been there, done that. It's only temporary."_
> 
> _Levi sends him a disgusted glare that leaves no effect on Eren; instead, the latter asks him with his inviting eyes, “wanna join me?”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for all the kudos and sweet comments. you guys rock my world. in a good way :)

The screen lights up, emanating a cold-blue glow in the dark.

_Hey levi! do u have google maps?_

_Yes why?_

_cuz im lost…_

He’s instantly up from bed, his mind buzzing to awaken. Google Maps is activated, ready to be entered some obscure location that the wandering soul has ended up in.

_Where are you?_

_…lost in your eyes that is ;D_

He stares at the screen for a long time, all previous emotions flushed out.

_Did it hurt, Eren?_

_did wat hurt ;)?_

_When you were dropped on your head as a baby._

* * *

Eren likes to have his door opened when he's home. It's one way how Levi can tell if he's here or not. Sometimes he's playing dreams away on his guitar or keyboard, other times he's in the zone killing zombies and other soldiers with perfect headshots. Regardless of his hobbies, Eren always have spare seconds to greet Levi when he passes in front of his room. The raven-haired man has grown accustomed to it and like an automated machine, he would reply with a curt grunt.

So when he hears no chirp of a hello this time around, he halts in his step and does a double-take. Only, when he sees a grief-stricken face, his mind all but stops functioning.

Eren is looking like a sad little puffer-fish. His cheeks are hot and swollen, eyes red and puffy from the endless tears flowing out. A flushed tint coloured his nose and even though his ears are obscured by his hair, Levi can only guess how red they are. If it were not for the crestfallen look in his wet eyes, Levi would have scoffed a laugh. Instead, an unexpected sense of guilt emerges from inside.

"You alright?"

Eren turns to him and as if another bucket has been kicked, fresh tears come spilling out and a choked sob escapes the boy. It sends Levi to little internal panics. He reconciles this inner gut-drop with his poor attempts at words.

"I didn't mean it...that text. That's how I talk, you should know by now. Pretty damn sure your head wasn’t damaged in any way in infancy."

Thick brown eyebrows crease in questioning. Eren sniffs his nose clear and grabs another tissue to wipe clean his eyes. He beckons Levi to come in with a hurried wave of his hand and Levi obliges. He spots a poverty-stricken mutt on Eren's computer screen, unfortunate and malnourished to the bone. A man is coaxing it to come out of its caged misery and while Levi ponders on what he's supposed to see, he feels a tug on his sleeve.

"Look at the poor thing," bleated Eren. "I want to fly over and wrap him up in a cozy cinnamon roll."

"That doesn't make sense."

Eren whimpers when the dog finally comes out of its hiding place and he buries his face into Levi's arm. A miffed look crosses Levi's face before he grudgingly lets Eren contaminate his sleeve with tears and snot.

He sighs. "Why the hell are you watching this if it's making you into a baby who just had his pacifier stolen?"

"It's relaxing!"

Levi looks at Eren as if he'd just grown another head. "It's distressing the fuck out of you."

"It distracts me okay? Takes my mind off of midterms. I need some sort of fun-time before hell starts."

Levi sucks his teeth in annoyance, grabbing a couple of tissues and rubbing them against Eren's tear-stricken face. He growls in remark how disgusting he looks and broods more when Eren welcomes his rough gesture and leans forward. Spoiled brat milking every drop of Levi's generousity. He should kick himself for feeling guilty earlier on.

"There are better ways to distract yourself."

"Jacking off? Been there, done that. It's only temporary."

Levi sends him a disgusted glare that leaves no effect on Eren; instead, the latter asks him with his inviting eyes, “wanna join me?”

Four seconds pass before Levi reluctantly gives in.

.-.

The dooming clouds of midterms fall over all their heads. For engineer students like Eren, they have a designated week with no classes or additional assignments so they can focus purely on their exams. One test a day—it certainly does sound favourable to those who have exams in-between lectures and deadlines. But the pressure to do well hangs heavily.

They call it 'Hell-Week'. A seven-day period of locking themselves in either a study room or their dorms to fully immerse their minds into the walls of text and complex calculations that doesn’t even make sense. 95% will-power, 3% intelligence, and 2% tear-stained papers haul them through tough times. It's a collective struggle between the students, so at least you have mutual support.

Eren is no different, if not, he dedicates an extra 10%.

While all the other mechatronics kids are out commemorating the last of their freedom on Friday night, Eren decides on a head start. He comes home with a serious face, showers, then shuts himself in his room for the rest of the night.

Early Saturday morning, Eren is up and ready for another day of studying. For once, his door is closed off to the world, concealing whatever that goes on behind. It bothers Levi, not knowing what Eren is up to. He can’t steal a peek or check up on him and it pains him to admit it that a normalcy has developed in seeing Eren in his room whenever Levi treks down the hall.

The hardworking student doesn’t appear until late in the evening, grabbing a quick bite of dinner before crawling back into his room again. Levi had missed him, having gone to for grocery shopping at the time and coming back to an unwashed plate with leftover cheese and tomato sauce.

For once, Unit A at 42 Marshall is calm and quiet. Erwin’s sublet is silent as a mouse as per usual, but it’s Eren who amplifies the deafening reticence in the apartment. Two months ago, Levi wouldn’t have minded; now there seems to be this invisible parasite that latches onto his skin and injects disquieting itches into his bloodstream. The quiet disturbs him, worries him. Ironically, Eren’s lack of evening serenades and loud raging keeps him wide awake.

Sunday is a repeat of Saturday, if not for the rest of the week. Wake up, coffee, shut-in for eight hours, peek out for washroom breaks, light dinner at seven, study until twelve. Rinse, wash, repeat. It’s pathetic how Levi has Eren’s unhealthy schedule memorized. More often than none, he catches himself staring at the gap between the floor and Eren’s door.

The plates keep stacking in the sink—some having traces of macaroni and cheese sauce while others have bread crumbs. It’s until the fourth day when Levi can’t take it anymore and cleans up the mess. Eren would’ve been heavily scolded by now but Levi doesn’t want to disturb the boy (no matter how much he wants to knock down that door and have a good look at the bright-eyed face).

Even then, one thought prioritizes over others on Levi’s mind. The leftovers on Eren’s unwashed plates leave big hints on his recent food consumption and Levi stumbles away wondering if the young man is getting enough. His distracting thoughts are answered when Eren opens the door one day, just in time to catch Levi heading out.

Frankly—

“You look like  shit.”

Eloquence at his very best.

Eren looks like a street bum who hasn’t...well, who hasn’t seen a shower or good food for months. Or a shaver for the matter. The usual vibrant eyes have dulled into exhaustion, eyelids drooping as heavily as the bags hanging from under. Levi can see that thin layer of oil over Eren’s tousled hair and he can bet on his grades that the orange-red stain on his wrinkly t-shirt had come from last Friday’s pasta.

Unaware of Levi’s full-body inspection, Eren manages to pull a wobbly half-grin.

“I feel like shit.”

It’s easy to see that Eren is lacking proper sustenance, from the way the shirt sags depressingly over his hunched shoulders. Levi frowns. This must be fixed. How the hell can a mechatronics engineer student auspiciously overcome Hell-Week with this sort of lifestyle?

With an aggravated force, Levi pulls Eren into the bathroom. He needs a shower, Levi nags with great disdain. To witness Eren in such a sorry state both irritates and distresses him.

“My exam’s in two hours!”

“Exactly. You go into battle with class and style; don’t pull that sorry ‘study-or-die’ business on me.”

With little resistance and plentiful pouting, Eren obliges. Hearing the hissing of the showerhead, Levi sets out for school. He puts out two granola bars on Eren’s desk before leaving. The idiot better take it.

When he returns to make dinner later that night, he makes a note to cook extra. The process isn’t that complicated anyway so might as well. He unconsciously leaves a bigger amount in the second plate, placing it conveniently beside the microwave. Levi’s glance lingers on the saran-wrapped meal, wondering if this is enough.

Maybe a glass of milk can help.

Or soup? His stomach must be bleeding from all that excessive caffeine and it probably needs some warm touch of healthiness.

Milk tea is doable too.

...

Levi whips around and returns to his room.

Look at him. Panicking like a mother hen over a sick chick.

Eren will be fine.

.-.

_There’s leftovers in the kitchen, I couldn’t finish. Eat it or throw it out._

.-.

The screen lights up, its faded-blue flickering against the room’s incandescent glow.

_looooooove butter chicken! it was yummy thanks :)_

Levi sets his phone aside, prompting himself to finish up his assignment. Though he questions the warm tingles dancing along his skin—it doesn’t feel like it’s coming from the glare of his desk-lamp.

* * *

All’s well that ends well.

Levi hears neither soft melody nor violent cursing when he returns home. Keeping up with his usual composure, he trots down the hall with a fleeting glance inside Eren’s room. Just a look-see will suffice—make sure the pipsqueak hasn’t finally fainted from midterms’ finishing blow. He’s caught off-guard when Eren bounces out of nowhere and yanks him forward.

Too close.

Though an overzealous Eren doesn’t take notice.

(or he just has no sense of personal space, as proven over and over again)

“Great, you’re home! I was waiting for you so we can go get bubble tea.”

“I don’t—”

“Yeah, I know. You’re a grumpy old college student who has a disdain for crowded places and even more so for sugar-induced drinks, but we _need_ to celebrate,” says Eren with an emphasis on ‘need’ as if it’s going to be the end of the world if Levi tries to refuse. Which, surprising to him, he doesn’t. Hell, he really doesn’t put up a convincing fight and let Eren drag him out the apartment once more.

“A little FYI kid: some of us aren’t done with our exams,” Levi mutters sardonically.

“Are you really going to study tonight?”

No, he isn’t. His original plan is to lock up his bag in the closet, settle into his bed and pull up a nice book for the rest of the night while listening to Eren’s guitar. Levi reckons now that midterms are over, the talented egg would likely go to his usual means of comfort and de-stressing. How very wrong he is.

Eren’s disbelieving face turns to one of smugness, knowing Levi’s silence has proven his point.

He’s thankful that the place is only a few minutes’ walk away—the last of summer’s warmth is giving way to autumn chills and the not-so-refreshing breeze is giving Levi a new definition of ‘grumpy old college student’. They pick a private seating in the corner after ordering, away from the rowdy crowd who’s excited themselves over board-games. The black-haired male look on in disdain as their obnoxious cheers thunder the room.

Eren must have caught his stink-eye since he timidly offers to move locations.

“You wanted come here and now you want to leave? Make up your mind.”

“I never knew it’d be such a ruckus here. We’ll go somewhere quieter.”

Levi stares him down in a pensive manner, reducing Eren to a fidgeting state. The rate at which the boy’s countenance evolves is something Levi can never keep up with. With a sigh, Levi waves his hand aloofly in attempt to calm Eren’s nerves.

“It’s nothing I can’t handle. Keep your ass seated and drink your bubble tea.”

He gets a creepily warm smile in return and a tone almost skin-shivering endearing, “thanks Levi.”

He looks away. “For what.”

Eren shakes his hand, safe-guarding his thoughts. He rarely does it so—blabber some cryptic message out then refusing to explain, as if changing his mind and taking back his words, leaving Levi unsatisfyingly empty. If the bubbly brunet has something to say, then say it loud and proud. Who is Levi to not have that right to know?

As quickly as a traffic light flicking on green, Eren breaks into the chatterbox Levi’s labelled him to be. It turns out, he holds a fair share of personal thoughts on Hell-Week, none of which he isn’t shy of disclosing. There was the old proctor who seemingly had his suspicious eyes on Eren as if he was suspecting of dubious behaviour (“The nerve of that shriveled raisin—I’d never cheat on my life!”); then he was thrown into a test to which he thought he was prepared for, but was completely destroyed by this one mind-boggling question that probably failed the entire class.

“Can you believe that? Damn distracting the entire hour!” Eren rages as he slammed his empty cup down, currently on his latest complaint. Apparently, he was a victim of cataclysmic disturbances caused by some lardass munching away his chips during an exam.

Levi sends him a pointed look. “Still should’ve called a proctor. Your behavior was begging for an automatic failure.”

“Except I didn’t fail,” counters Eren with a cheeky smile. “And the prick was asking for it. Everyone was looking at him when I called out on him—inconsiderate ass.”

The problem with Eren—and Levi isn’t sure if that is an issue—is how he can (almost) turn a negative to positive. Normal people wouldn’t jump from their seats in the middle of an exam and holler in a demand for the jackass to maybe not ingest his high-sodium crap so loudly like a goddamned Neanderthal. Even if they were to do so, their exam grade would surely become an automatic zero for causing such a disturbance.

Steel-grey eyes catch the sight of Eren’s momentary mopey face at his empty drink before it turns to one of hope, when the boy sets his attention on Levi’s barely-touched bubble-tea.

Levi gives his drink a nudge forward towards Eren. The sheer glow of genuine joy on Eren’s face is more than enough reason not to regret giving up that over-rated drink.

But...this is Eren. He doesn’t fit in with the general Normal People crowd.

.-.

They talk late into the night. Well, it is more Eren than Levi, but the latter is more than content to just listen. A week is apparently too long for the boy, with him declaring how they have _much_ to catch up on. Eren doesn’t expect a lot from him though and maybe that’s why Levi can tolerate his verbal-diarrhea just a little more than often. The poor sap must’ve strained himself bad without the socializing during Hell-Week.

A stray thought of why he is here with Levi instead of ‘catching up’ with his other buddies lingers at the back of his head, but it never forms into any sustenance for him to ask. It’s not like he isn’t bombarded with questions attacking from left to right. Yes, his midterms are going well; no, he isn’t stressed because he’s prepared all his life for this (to pass standardized tests and find a greater meaning to life, yes); no, he isn’t excited for Halloween, Thanksgiving, and certainly not the winter Holidays.

Is it making him feel better—to be able to babble on and on again, Levi instead inquires, not expecting a real answer; but Eren once again surprises him.

“Yeah, thanks for listening to me.”

Levi unknowingly keeps these words in the depths of his mind, even as they’re kicked out of the tea shop upon reaching closing time. It’s past midnight yet surprisingly, he isn’t one bit tired. Must be Eren’s boundless energy rubbing off on him (how bothersome).

And just when they’ve reached 42 Marshall, when Levi is about to say goodnight (and good riddance because he needs to get up early tomorrow morning), Eren blurts out, “I’m hungry.”

“Hold it off—it’s bad to eat this time of night.”

“But I’m really hungry...”

That tone makes Levi look back at Eren and shit—shouldn’t have done that because he’s now trapped again in his puppy eyes.

“Grab some cereal or a banana.”

His attempts are futile.

“Cereal is for breakfast, and you’re the one who told me not to eat bananas on an empty stomach.”

Levi narrows his eyes. What do you want?

“Wanna grab nuggets? They have that 15 cents a nugget sale going on.” Eren’s teeth are sparkling perfectly white under the dark night sky.

“No, I will not embark on a needless journey in this cold dead of the night. It’s 1 AM, Eren, and we weak humans need to sleep. You can consume fake chickens tomorrow.”

The sudden warmth around his wrist stops Levi from unlocking the door. Eren’s hand is remarkably hot and it sends a soothing wave of heat across Levi’s body.

“Fun adventure, not needless,” he says, his green eyes twinkling.

“You pulled an all-nighter, Eren. Go catch up on sleep.”

Eren shrugs. “What’s one more night? ‘Sides, I think it’s high-time for you to experience the sheer pleasure of late-night nuggets..and other assortment of unhealthy snacks.”

He doesn’t wait for Levi’s next response. They’re already trekking down the sidewalk once again, Levi pocketing his keys mindlessly. Minutes into their second exploit of the night and he still hasn’t figured out how Eren has done it again.

It is his first time in all of his four-year college life staying out this late. Begrudgingly, he doesn’t admit to exhaustion or a sense of regret.

The heat around his wrist stays lingering the entire time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> afk—getting trampled by the kingdom hearts hype train and drowning in terra/ven and axel/roxas feels. yes, even two weeks after square enix’s e3 conference, i am still replaying utada hikaru and dearly beloved, still re-watching the gameplays and all the cutscenes from the series. and now im giving into fanfics as well. gdi square please: give us kh3 and end this thirst :’(
> 
> still (slowly) writing DtH though, since im having much fun with this. but brb—i must now save aqua and become a keyblade master.
> 
> find me on tumblr (no-other-words) if you wanna squeal with me on ereri feels (or the KH hype HAHHAHA--oh the shame).


	5. Tender Greens (like brussel sprouts but better)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> //deep half-philosophical talks, winter and snow, germ and fluff-infested chapter//  
>    
>  _Eren huffs agreeably and plops down on the floor, throwing his head on the bed and gazing mystically at Levi._
> 
> _Yes. Mystically._
> 
> _Like there’s something in Eren’s unusually green eyes (maybe it’s this time of night and Levi’s hallucinating). A twinkle, a swirling sparkle like the cloudy tails trailing after the Milky Way. As if Eren’s thinking really hard or just thinking about something really far-off and stupid like—_
> 
> _“You look real nice when you’re flushed like this, Levi.”_
> 
> _Like that._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, thank you so much for the comments and kudos! i really don’t deserve (Q_Q). im high half the time when im coming up with chapter titles so no, there really is no correlation.

It has become a _Thing_. With a capital ‘T’.

Levi isn’t sure what to call it, other than a Thing.

Eren calls it their Late Night Adventures, except now Levi is more reluctant to go out for obvious reasons in his opinion. The days are getting colder and the nights even more. He’d rather much stay in the healthy warmth inside Unit A of 42 Marshall, but Eren refuses to acknowledge his lack of enthusiasm for the great outdoors.

The overzealous brunet still bothers him every once in a while to go out for bubble-tea or nugget runs. It’s to the point where Levi leaves a little crack of his door so Eren doesn’t need to knock and disturb their third roommate. What’s the point of closing it—Eren knows when he’s home. The tell-tale whiny creak of hinges is the only warning Levi gets before Eren’s head pops out, his big inviting smile on the work.

“Wanna get—”

“No.”

That upward curve quickly turns upside down. “You’re still awake though.”

“And comfortable in my room. Scram.”

Eren heaves an exaggerated sigh and enters the room. Levi frowns—Eren’s barefoot again. It’s funny how he’s more concerned if Eren’s feeling cold than how he’s bringing dirt into his sacred premises.

“It’s been a week since I’ve tasted the sweet milkiness in my mouth and the crispy tenderness on my tongue,” Eren grouses. “I need some midnight snacks or I’m going to choke the guy who keeps making my team lose!”

Levi has heard all about that a few minutes earlier, when Eren had thrown one of his infamous fits against the players in the game—something about not using their peanut-brain for decent performance. ‘My roommate probably shoots better than you!’, quote-unquote and against all judgement, Levi feels honoured to be such an object of comparison.

“Why not do a solo-mission this time, Eren?” Levi muses, catching on to some of those gaming terms. “See how far you can make it out there without me.”

“One does not simply walk into the dead of the night alone.” Eren shoots him a dirty eye before leaving. “You’ve read action-fantasy books—they _always_ travel in pairs. C’mon, be the Sam to my Frodo, the Ron to my Harry!”

He doesn’t recall pledging unconditional loyalty and devotion to Eren or being a wimpy little redhead and he can bet those two series are the only ones that Eren has read (or watched, that poser). Unamused by his attempt to nerd it up, Levi refuses to budge.

.-.

That’s okay, because minutes later, when a waif of aromatic steam invades his room, Eren invites himself in again with a large bowl of dumplings. Assuming the right to his little territory, he grabs a cushion from Levi’s bed and props it against the side. The black-haired male attempts to decipher what Eren’s purpose here is until he realises there is none.

“I’m going to sleep.”

Eren throws him a dicey look then slides down to the book Levi’s holding. “No you’re not.”

A five-second stare-down transpires before Levi returns back to his novel. It’s useless to argue with Eren, that part he know much of. They both know well enough that the brunet will leave if that really is Levi’s wish and as long as Eren’s mobile game is silenced, it’s more or less a win-win situation. Compromise is key in a relationship—friendship. Roommate-ship.

(ship)

Twenty pages in, a broken string of curses, three wins and twelve losses later, Eren presses ‘replay’ and breaks the comfortable silence between them.

“Barely passed my Thermodynamics midterm.” His fingers move swiftly across the screen. No doubt his mind works even faster to process all the colourful blocks and strategizing how to eliminate rows as efficiently as possible. Levi has never understood Tetris—never will.

End of the page—flip. “That the one where you attacked the guy?”

“I didn’t _attack_ him. And no—that was Digital Logic. Passed it with flying colours.”

“Smart cookie.”

“Not cookie enough for Thermodynamics apparently.” Eren passes him a smiling glance before turning back to his game. “Still a cookie _dough_.”

First paragraph done. George Martin sure likes his long paragraphs. “Cookie dough is good. How’d the class do?”

“46%,” Eren answers with a smile. “Which means I can enjoy the bell-curve ride.”

Levi chortles. “Always believe in the bell-curve.”

“Do you sneak a taste of cookie dough?”

“That shit can give you salmonella.”

Levi hears shuffling and feels Eren moving closer to the front-edge of his bed. Halfway through, he’s lost his train of thought and has no idea what the second paragraph is about. Hell the entire page. Better restart from paragraph one again. It’s also here when he vaguely questions himself why he’s indulging Eren in small-talk.

“What about peanut butter? Eat it out of the jar?” Eren asks with a twinkle in his eye. “I know you do.”

“I’m not you, Eren.”

“Right, you’re better than a unicellular simpleton. You have _standards_. You eat pizza with a fork and knife and take little triangle bites out of them.”

What is this entire page about anyway? Levi tries to recall what had happened in the story but turns up blank. He quickly turns back a page and refreshes his memory. Right, a Stark is currently being stabbed repeatedly in the stomach. His ears tune Eren out. Novels like this require full concentration.

The younger goes back to his game. Swipes a few fingers, makes a displeased sound with his tongue, and gets up to his feet. He leaves and returns with his laptop in hand, plops down with his back to Levi so the latter can see a PC version of Tetris.

“Better controls,” Eren points out, as if he thinks Levi cares. He doesn’t—he cares more about the current events of the story so much that he goes back to paragraph one (for the second time) starts over.

Because Eren just doesn’t know when not to break the silence. Fuck because Eren possesses no inkling of consideration and awareness for Levi’s desire for peace and quiet. Fuck because he’s re-reading the same page over and over again and he’s _not_ crabbed at all that Eren is the cause behind all of this. Fuck because he’s actually leaning in, ears open to catch what the annoying little twat has to say next.

“It’s funny how the mere concept of numbers reigns so much control over us.”

Fuck because he slaps his book shut with the bookmark on the one damn page he’d been on for the last five minutes.

“Please, do elaborate for I am fatigued out of my idled mind.”

Eren ignores Levi’s heavy-toned sarcasm and goes on with his two-cent thought of the day. “We have a natural need for everything to be measured, put into categories and labelled. Numbers are all we know and it’s an entity proven to be universally true. Numbers are never wrong, so we want to go by something that’s never wrong.”

Levi’s gaze turns to something of absurdity with every word, looking at Eren as if he’s grown two heads. Run that by him again? They haven’t delved into topics as obscure as this and if Eren is about to go on a philosophical rant questioning who he is, what numbers are, what are the purpose of numbers, what is the meaning of life...well. Fuck. ‘Cause he sure doesn’t know the answers and he doesn’t plan to explore the field.

“I’ve grown up with grades; well it’s all school has ever taught me,” reflects Eren, his green eyes staring off to the walls. “We’re conditioned to measure ourselves with grades, percentages, and averages. Associate our worth with the marks on our papers. Judge our efforts with the numbers of thumbs-ups and follows and subscribers and favourites. Stamp our place in society by the pay-grade we’re given. The more the merrier, the higher the greater person you are.”

“Not everyone is like that, not all cares.”

“They _say_ that. But it’s programmed into our mindset, has become a fundamental instinct.”

Eren scoots closer to the head of the bed, leaning back his head against the sheets and letting his fluffy hair flop all over. Levi slides a hand to a desolated lock of hair. He contemplates on the possible correlation between the softness in Eren’s hair and his eloquent choice of words.

“‘How did you do? How much are they offering? How long is your paper? How many languages do you know? What’s the class average? What’s the drop rate? Where’s your ranking in this program?’ It’s a constant battle of comparisons in that place. Like a fucking stuffy prison.” He looks to Levi. “You know what I’m talking about. You work with numbers every day.”

 Levi’s fingers don’t leave the soft brown stresses, instead they weave themselves in further. He takes a good scan over Eren’s face, absorbing his contemplative calm, and scoffs a laugh.

“Yeah, I do. And look where it’s gotten me. Boring, old shut-in.”

“I don’t think so,” counters Eren, pushing himself up and propping his chin on his arms. “What are you planning after graduation?”

“Apply my accounting education to the real world and be financially stable.” _For Farlan and Isabel._

“AKA infiltrate the Big Four, launder away their money, rope some poor sap into being the scapegoat, and live happily ever after,” says Eren with a cheeky grin. “Or die trying. An adventure is what you make it out to be.”

In response, Levi rolls his eyes and lightly knocks Eren’s head back with a ruffle of his hair. “Don’t think too hard, kid. You’ll be alright.” He will be. Even if the cages of school and pressure wall him in at times, Levi’s confident that Eren’s virulent spirit won’t fly away so easily.

Eren goes back to his Tetris battle. Levi goes back to his Game of Thrones. They’re back to a nice sail of mutual comfort and quiet.

That is—

“Hey Levi, do you know what infinite is? Like, what is the meaning of that number? How far does it reach? Maybe there’s a paradox, a loop-hole, like a time-paradox and it just goes back to the beginning. What if it’s zero, and people just made that number up? Or it’s actually a number but we just haven’t—”

“Get out of my room.”

.-.

The next morning, it’s back to simple stuff. Back and forth questions that Levi thinks are pointless and eye-roll deserving but answerable nonetheless. It occurs to him just how far-off and deep Eren’s cognitive mind can wander when it’s late into the night.

.-.-.-.-.

The thing with a climate as unpredictable and outlandish as theirs, only two seasons exist—three, if they’re lucky. There is no gradual transition from winter to spring to summer to fall to winter again. It’s a decent ten degrees before bam—a sudden cliff-drop below zero. A 180 turn overnight and you have morning frost iced over the unprepared lawn and trees. Poor motherfuckers.

Welcome to the wake of November.

Not yet winter officially, but might as well be.

Discernibly, Levi comes prepared. Has his winter blankets in place, his wool scarves out, winter jacket hung, and most importantly, the heater jacked up to the highest point. Nothing like a home as toasty warm as a cabin with a large bonfire inside.

All is alright until he wakes up one day shivering cold sweat down his back. He checks to see his blankets still layered on top and there has been no draft coming in from the window. He pulls away his duvet...only to hastily whip it around his body again. Funny—he could’ve sworn the temperature was set to thirty the night before.

And no one touches thermostat.

No one.

(must’ve escaped his mind to add that to House Rules)

So his two roommates better hope that it’s the heating system that fucked itself over or hell is going to flip a layer. Donning in three layers of clothing, Levi scrambles into the hall and squints at the red plastic arrow pointing dead at number twenty.

Twenty. Not thirty. A ten degree difference.

Someone must’ve their head screwed on right. Levi has a hunch who, but decides not to jump to conclusions. He’s a rational man. An adult who thinks and is responsible and does his taxes (correctly, might he add). Levi turns the dial back the highest temperature and goes on with his day.

Eren wakes up midday. Does his simple version of breakfast, kills a few guitar solos, shoots a few more zombies, and visits Levi’s room once in a while. The latter doesn’t even bother shutting the door anymore—it’s futile knowing Eren would just barge in half an hour later (at least the leech is wise enough to stay quiet during his visitation).

Nothing goes out of ordinary except for the fact that Levi feels the same haunting shivers creeping down his neck. His fingers are stiff like frozen carrots defrosting at room temperature, toes numb at the tip, and despite the thick hoodie he wears, a chilling freeze resonates from inside. His entire body screams no, don’t get up, stay in your seat because the moment you move, the cold air will trap you and suck all your heat.

(sort of like Eren, he thinks on the side, how he sucks the warm breathes out of Levi but that’s where the similarities stop. he still feels warm, if not warmer)

But the thermostat calls to him. It beckons him to turn that dial up from twenty to thirty, again. For the second time that day.

Levi leers over towards Eren’s room, catching Eren’s watchful gaze. His green eyes cloud in a darker shade, expressionless but a little tentative like predator observing his prey. Well, back off. This isn’t his territory—it’s Levi’s. And if the nincompoop knows what’s good for his pretty-boy neck, he would heed the warning.

Once a shit-for-brain, always a shit-for-brain.

Not even an hour in, Levi senses movements in the hallway. Like a lion leaping out of its hiding spot, Levi reveals himself from the room and the single word is out before any other sound is made.

“No.”

“Bu—”

“No.

“I’m hot!”

“I’m not.”

“I know,” Eren grins, taking in Levi’s poor sense of fashion. Pretentious little—

“But seriously Levi, it’s a boiler-room in here! Tone down the heat, will you?”

The resolute look on Levi’s face says a definite negative. Pulling out his bottom lip, plump like Snow White’s red delicious, Eren shines his eyes in desperate attempt.

“Jewels is going to break into a fever at this point. And so will I! My body gets hot easily,” Eren explains, grabbing Levi’s stone-cold hand and slapping it on his arm.

True enough, a fresh wave of heat rolls into Levi’s veins, almost too quickly like electric shocks and he fights the urge to retract his hand. The warmth is, in fact, very welcoming and for a split second, Levi blows a breath of relieving comfort. Eren’s hand is clammy, repulsively moist and if it weren’t for the body heat that Levi’s currently leeching off on, he would’ve stepped away.

“Holy shit...”

And Eren steals Levi’s other hand, placing them both on his blazing neck. The brunet makes a funny expression of content, apparently finding solace in the temperature difference between them. It’s until then when Levi takes in the lack of proper articles on the boy, being only in a flimsy tee and snowman boxers. He raises a skeptical eyebrow below.

“Nice choice of design.”

Eren hums in question, still in a daze of summer coolness. His hands palm over Levi’s, pressing them snugly against his neck and Eren nuzzles—fucking _nuzzles_ against said hands. Alarmed, Levi pulls back but Eren’s grip is a strong one. The warmth now becomes not so welcoming anymore, sending strange shivers along Levi’s nerves and he wants to _get out_.

“Hey, brat.”

He doesn’t move, eyes still closed and Levi can’t help but to count the number of lashes fluttering against Eren’s cheeks.

“ _Brat_.”

One eye lazily opens, baiting Levi.

“Let go.”

“Twenty-five degrees.”

A five-notch difference. He can tolerate it. Wouldn’t want the dumbass to overbake.

“Fine. Let the fuck go.”

Eren happily obliges and stays in his spot as Levi swiftly retreats to his room. The black-haired male does not turn his head, knowing just what sort of goofy look of victory is currently splattered across Eren’s face.

“You know, they say body heat is the best source of warmth!”

Levi slams the door shut, a small smile tickling at the corner of his lips.

.-.-.-.-.

He has spoken too soon. Winter has arrived early this early, Levi notes, stopping for a moment to watch the silent snowfall. There never is a set time for these little bastards—arriving unannounced whenever they feel like it, deciding on their own accord as if one day, the cloud-gods above think it’d be funny to see depression fall upon these lowly humans and sprinkle infectious white dusts.

Well, Levi thinks positive for once, at least the first snow gives some festive joy.

 _Happy Holidays bro!!!_ comes a message from Isabel, followed by a selfie of her and Farlan standing outside in the snow. The little twerp has her snowman scarf out and the ridiculous hat resembling that of an elf’s. It’s still November, he replies back, and he can picture Izzy’s eye-roll. He’s the Scrooge of the three. There’s one in every family.

Eren’s probably Santa’s Little Helper who helps mom make the family Christmas cards, sneaks the presents under the stupid tree, and stuff candy-canes in the stockings.

And it’s scarily deceiving how such gentle snowfall can lay a thin blanket of white in mere hours. When Levi had left in the morning, it’s still an autumn scene. By the time he returns in the evening, the town is highlighted in cool blue, the sheen of snow reflecting the dark sky. Levi shakes off the residue snow off his shoulders, grimacing at the thought of melted water in his foyer.

He should’ve seen it coming, should’ve registered the quickened footsteps and incoming panting of that like an excited puppy. But this is Eren we’re talking about—he can never foresee what disaster is to come within a five-second window.

“LEVI!!”

And he’s on the ground.

 _They’re_ on the ground. Eren on top of him, crushing the life out of Levi with his overblown parka and popping his heart with his obnoxious grin. If it weren’t for Eren’s hands cushioning him, Levi would have some serious head damage. Still doesn’t excuse the sudden attack and Levi lets his vexation known. Eren doesn’t offer any earnest look of condolence, seeing how his eyes are lit up so damn bright.

His exuberant laughter rings in Levi’s ears. “IT’S SNOWING!!”

Honestly, he’d expected a text first thing in the morning from Eren about it. The kid does seem the type to work up fireworks over things like this.

“Yes, I’m fully aware of that. Now get off, my ass is getting wet.”

It’s just so their luck that they’ve landed on the lawn, freshly packed with undisturbed snow and freezing H2O is slowly crawling down his crack. Unheeding Levi’s warning, Eren sits up straddling on Levi’s stomach while chucking a handful of snow into the air. Contrary to Levi’s disdain, the brunet apparently likes having snow shoved in his face. Is his body temperature that hot that he need some flakey popsicles to cool him down?

Eren sighs a wispy breath, his rosy cheeks glowing under the streetlamps. “Isn’t it beautiful? I’ve missed this.”

“I don’t,” grunts Levi, “now get off. You can take your time catching up with Winter by yourself, please and thank you.”

Huffing, Eren rolls off, arms and legs spread out in preparation to make a snow angel. Dumbass. There isn’t enough snow for that yet. Nevertheless, he gets on shuffling and waving and spewing snow in every direction. Levi makes a roll of his to evade the nasty mini-attacks, but he’s too slow and skin-freezing snow slithers down his neck and collars. That’s the ugly thing about this god-forsaken season: no matter how bundled up you are, there are always holes and little openings exposed to your enemy’s advantage.

Levi growls out his displeasure. “Fucking insuffer—”

His snub is rudely interrupted by a rather squeaky force of air heaving from his lungs. A series of ticklish urges follow and Levi breaks into three sneezes and counting.

All the while, Eren watches in silent and in slight awe. If it weren’t for his teary eyes and runny nose, Levi would’ve seriously had a good kick at the boy but no, he has to bear witness to Eren’s gape of stupidity. When the sneezes finally halt (thank fuck, he is given salvation at last), Levi decides not to bother with the kid anymore and scurries inside the apartment, blessing whoever invented indoor heating.

“Levi wait!”

How about a fuck no?

He rips off his boots, not bothering to line them up against the wall, strips his winter attire and into the bathroom he goes. From the corner of his eyes, he spots Eren quietly standing in the corner, the boy wise enough to stay out of his way. A nice hot steamy shower is the appropriate way to welcome yourself home from winter’s affliction. By the time Levi’s washed away the cold, his annoyance with Eren is long gone.

He comes out, towel around his neck drying his sopping hair, and is caught off-guard by Eren waiting in the hallway with two steamy cups in hand.

The brunet offers with atonement, “hot chocolate? I added extra marshmallows, it’s really good.”

Levi glances at the time. 10:49. Way past the occasion for a leisure drink. But then Levi recalls all those nights out at the bubble-tea shop and he sucks in a breath. The hopeful look on Eren’s face breaks through what little is left of Levi’s staggering will.

And it just so is unofficially declared that whenever the raven accepts a midnight treat, it is also proper courtesy to enjoy said treat in Eren’s room. Not the kitchen or common room, where there’s plenty of space for them to indulge, but Eren’s. They go in to their designated spot, established within the past month or so (when exactly? Levi isn’t sure)—Eren plopping on his bed, Levi in his office chair, and they stare off at each other for a good ten seconds.

“Wipe that stupid smile off your face. It’s hideous.”

Eren only grins wider, pulling up a blanket for Levi. “You might need this. Don’t want you to go into another sneeze-fit.”

Levi accepts it with a scowl.

They let on in silence, Levi not minding the quiet as much as Eren. It’s been a while since he’s had hot chocolate— _good_ hot chocolate. The extra marshmallow melting in his drink kicks it up a notch, adding a fuzzy flavour for his taste buds. Eren huddles closer to the edge of the bed and turns towards the window. The snow outside still hasn’t subsided, sliding in graceful motion through the still air. A single streetlamp shines an artificial blue in the backdrop, prompting Levi to admit its beauty. If it were not for pre-existing regard for wintery things, Levi might have enjoyed the pretty picture more so.

Well at least the squirt still has a drop of romance in his blood, admiring the view and sighing wistfully.

“Makes you feel warm and fuzzy inside, doesn’t it?”

Levi regards him in a weird look. “You’ve got a twisted idea of ‘warm and fuzzy’.”

“But listen!” They listen, hearing nothing but calm silence. “There’s so much going on yet there’s none at all. Nothing but a peaceful drift of pretty snowflakes, and a cozy cup of hot chocolate inside a cozy room, in the company of a wonderful person.” Eren flits his eyes towards Levi, eyelashes shyly fluttering halfway and the latter looks away. “It’s a nice moment.”

Whatever of this ‘moment’ Eren’s going on about, Levi doesn’t know of. Perhaps it’s the late-night-verbal-diarrhea syndrome Eren’s going through again—running his mouth off without a moment’s thought and spewing out ridiculous notions. Glancing at the corner of the room, Levi spots Jewels huddled inside her shell, wondering in self-amusement if she’d like to finish the rest of his drink.

Does Eren ramble to Jewels as well? Does she get annoyed in the process? Do turtles even have ears? Then again, it’s Eren and he’s probably found ways to make any animal to listen.

It’s a while into his scattered thoughts before Levi realises that he’s being addressed to. “Sorry, what?”

Eren gives him a hesitant look. “Am I boring you?”

“No,” comes the immediate response.

“Ah well, was wondering if you have any plans for the holidays? We’re having a big family get-together over the Christmas weekend—everyone’s going to be there!”

Levi likes the way Eren glows when he talks about his family. “The type to hold up old traditions I’ll bet. Have large dinners, sing choral by the piano, and trade Secret Santa presents?”

“You know it! Piano played by yours truly, of course.” Eren gives a wink and clicks his tongue. Of course: Santa’s Little Helper who also provides festive background music. “I also have some solos lined up on the guitar. Mom told me that we already have an obnoxious tree up and she bought new stockings for us to hang by the fireplace—mind you, it’s one of those fake fireplace with holographic lights. And then we’re going on a road-trip for a week. What about you? Doing anything with Isabel and Farlan?”

Chuckling at his childish gushing, Levi replies, “we’ve just entered November, Eren. Still two months of school before we can set our minds free.”

“I know that,” says the brunet with a pout. “But it’s never too early to start planning. When are your finals finished? We should go celebrate afterwards!”

“I plan on returning home the day after my last exam.” Eren’s face fall at that. “Besides, it’s not like I only have winter break. I graduate after this semester.”

The gloomy look turns distraught. Creased eyebrows reinforce his sudden upset and Levi can’t really figure out why.

“So, you won’t be in school after?”

“No. Out of this shithole for good.” He takes a sip of hot chocolate. It’s almost finished and he decides to make the remaining drops last. Good hot chocolate, after all, is hard to come by.

A drawn-out quiet comes between. Levi can’t help but to observe Eren from the corner of his eyes, wondering what’s gotten the boy speechless so suddenly. In a turn of the second, his head is drooped, letting messy brown bangs fall curtain to his face and that’s usually a sign of Eren moping.

“Well then.” The boy breathes deeply, glancing out the window again. His eyes are hazy now, as if in a dreaming state. “What a wonderful night to make memories.”

There he goes erupting nonsense again.

And then he goes on surprising Levi once more by extending a hand and pulling the chair towards the bed, closing off the distance between the two. Alarmed, Levi remains completely still in his seat, regarding the Eren in utmost suspicion. An innocent but coy smile flashes across Eren.

“What did I say about body heat?” He teasingly reminds. “Wouldn’t want you to get sick, right?”

Levi looks down to his hot chocolate, suddenly wishing for a refill.

.-.-.-.

_Yeah well, you failed miserably, brat._

It’s sweltering, gone far past Levi’s wide range of comfortable warmth. His body feels like it’s into a hot-air balloon, having been stuffed with brain-squeezing gas. It might have something to do with the heavy duvet pressing and burying him into the damp sheets, but a sluggish force keeps him from pushing away the extra weight.

The room bathed in a brilliant orange and Levi’s mind befuddles itself over what time of the day it is. Juggling between sleep and reality disoriented his sense of time to the point of knowing if it’s morning or evening. His breathing is sluggish, heavy as if it’s a chore to breathe. Levi tries to make sense of the numbers on his clock but the fuzzy image is not helping. He promptly shuts his eyes, the excess light adding to the headache pounding into his head.

Thank Buddha it’s the weekend (at least he’s got the date right). Levi can’t afford to miss lectures. He needs a nice, quiet period of recuperation. A long break away from academia, social obligations, Eren—

“Levi? You asleep?”

—speak of the devil.

Levi keeps quiet, hoping Eren’s persistence will be written off. It’s one of those rare days where he doesn’t feel like dealing with the boy. All goes well until a dreading itch creep up his nose and a sneeze escapes before he can stop it. He waits afterwards, his cover fully blown.

“You haven’t come out the whole day,” Eren says through the door. “Everything okay?”

Clearing his sore throat, he tries his best not to sound croaky. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not. Levi…are you sick?”

Gun-metal eyes glance towards the door before closing again. Levi focuses on sinking back to dreamland, ignoring Eren’s animated prying. If the moron knows what’s good for him, then he should buzz off. Unfortunately, there seems to be a dysfunctional gear in his brain that makes the boy ignore all that is life-threatening. The door creeks open and Eren hovers over the edge of the bed. He calls out Levi’s name, to which the raven does not respond.

“Not feeling well? Did you catch a cold?”

 _No thanks to you_ , Levi bemuses. There’s a reason why he prefers the stuffy cocoon of heat and extra layers of winter-wear. He just does not bode well with cold weather, and when something like getting tackled into the snow by an overgrown yeti happens, it’s his immune system that actually takes the hit and plummets into blotched noses, achy throats, and stabbing headaches.

The coolness against Levi’s forehead jolts him from dizzy stupor and he rudely swats the hand away. Since when does Eren have permission to freely touch him whenever he wants? (since they started rendezvousing in the middle of the night in sketchy tea-shops like two losers having nothing to do with their lives. but that’s beside the point)

“Shit Levi, you’re burning up!”

The hand never leaves his forehead. Grumbling, Levi rolls over and buries his face further into the pillow.

“Scram, kid.”

Eren huffs above him. “Knew you were going to say that. And you know what my response is?”

Of course it’s going to be a stubborn no.

“You’re making my headache worse,” growls Levi. “So please, I kindly ask you to get the fuck out.”

“And I kindly decline,” Eren refutes, quickly heading out to the kitchen and comes back minutes later with a steamy cup and some medicine. Questionable pills.

“Drink up,” he gently demands, holding the mug in front of Levi despite the discretion that he most definitely does not want to drink the fuck up. The brat tries to look scornful (major fail there). “Stop being a stubborn hamster, this isn’t the time.”

Levi averts his eyes to the nightstand. “Put it there. I’ll get to it when it cools down.”

“ _Now_ , Levi.”

“I need you out.”

“What are you, naked under there? No need to be shy.”

“You’re going to catch my virus, you dumbfuck! I don’t need another snot-snivelling frog in the house.”

Eren freezes, then melts into a soft expression. “Lucky for me, I have an impeccable immunity that no normal cold can stand a chance against.”

Settling the drink down, he pulls up a chair and pulls out his phone, grinning as if he already has the entire evening planned out. And he does. Aside from having Levi’s pitiful verbal attacks in the guise of mumbles and complaints, Eren entertains himself with Tetris-Mobile and chatting one-sidedly. The bitter-lemon drink mindfucks with his head and Levi quickly succumbs to the in-between borders between sleep and consciousness. At least the cold sweat and migraine is dying down.

He wakes a few times, occasionally to Eren’s cursing at his phone and sometimes to his self-talks when he thinks no one’s listening. Halfway through, Eren asks if he’s hungry and he goes off to make dumplings.

“Sorry, it’s not anything extravagant, but you know me. I didn’t cook much though. Don’t think you can stomach it but you haven’t ate the entire day.”

Levi pushes himself to a sitting position, ignoring the apparent struggle in his quivering arms. A sliver of amusement escapes, Levi teasingly asks Eren if the boy has been keeping tabs on him. It backfires.

“Just like when you were keeping tabs on me during Hell-Week?”

Levi hasn’t figured out what has invaded his brain and taken command. Perhaps it’s the heat. Or the virus spreading through his system, breaking down the better of his carefully-constructed guard. But he smiles. Genuinely smiles at Eren’s blatant flirting. Does it count as flirting? He’s looking too much into this. Eren’s merely stating the obvious—he _had_ been sweating his over Eren’s welfare during midterms. All in a good-hearted roommate’s work.

The bowl is passed over and Levi counts the number of dumpling pieces—five. He eats four and downs the soup instead. Not expecting Eren to snatch the last piece, Levi shoots a disapproving glare. That is _his_ bowl, in which he had drunk from, in which his germ-infested lips had made contact with. Eren can easily catch his cold.

Meal finished and energy replenished, Levi sinks back into bed, waiting for the nosy boy to finally leave. He does, but comes back with two bottles of water in place of the empty bowls.

Jesus, what _does_ he want?

He shouldn’t have asked.

For the next second, Eren flies in real close, his body hovering above and skimming the sheets. Levi’s pretty sure it’s the duvet that’s turning his skin flushed, but it can also be the undeniable heat radiating from sunshine-boy over here. Has he mentioned how close Eren’s face is? Every single outline of his eyelash curls stick out prominently in front of him; the furrowed thickness of his brows, the sniffled breaths tickling the few hair follicles under Levi’s nose.

That’s how close the idiot brat is. How utterly conscious Levi is of their suffocating proximity.

Eren wants to make it worse it seems, by closing the gap between them and touching foreheads. All breathing is ceased. Well, it’s more like he can’t. His lung is stuck, muscles stuff, as if afraid to make one nerve of a nerve because he might _lose_ this sweet contact. He’s not even sure why—all that comes to mind is how _close_ and _enticing_ those set of pink lips are and it’s definitely the sick heat that’s getting to him because he suddenly wants to kiss—

“Still a little over-temperature, but you look a little better,” Eren hums. A sliver of guilt crosses over his face. “Sorry I tackled you into the snow. It must’ve been from that, right?”

Levi snaps out of his…fuckery and whips his head to the other side, refusing to let Eren do whatever he’s doing (because the asshole is at an advantage, surprising him during his weakest times). Good, feel some damn remorse.

“I’ll let you rest. Get some sleep, Levi.”

He hears Eren shuffle onto the floor and he would’ve told him to sit on the chair if it wasn’t for his sudden stubbornness. His inability to speak. How can he sleep soundly when his heart is thumping this inconveniently loud?

Before Eren becomes completely silent for the night, he asks, “hope you don’t mind me staying for a bit.”

_Why? For what? You’ve got your own crap in your room, so go there instead. There’s nothing here. Just a grumpy old college student who’s conveniently sick._

The words stay locked in his head. He’s too tired. The effect of those questionable pills finally kicking in. Eren doesn’t make a sound; but it’s the patterned clicks from his Tetris that soothes Levi into sleep.

He vaguely wonders how long Eren plans to stay.

.-.

He wakes to complete darkness. His eyes adjust to his surroundings and find his phone beside the pillow. 3:17AM. Not really an ideal time to naturally wake, but Levi figures his body has had enough sleep from the previous day’s eight-hour slumber.

The air is a lot cooler against his not-so-damp skin and his nose isn’t as stuffy. His throat is still itchy, but Levi figures it’s from dehydration rather than germ-infection. His head is clear—no stubbing pain dulling his thoughts and well, it looks like Eren’s mothering has done the trick.

His fingers grope around before coming in contact with a familiar softness. He’s never really apprehended how nice Eren’s hair felt until…well, until now. Levi lies back on the pillow, fingers never leaving Eren’s unmoving head. It doesn’t occur to him that the boy is slumbering half-sitting on the floor, resting his head over his folded arms in an uncomfortable angle. When he does, Levi chooses to stupidly jolt from the bed in panic, waking the brunet.

“Hn—wha?”

In the dark, Levi makes out the dopey eyes Eren wears and he sees the weird outline of his feathery bedhead. The young man looks around, disoriented for a minute before remembering. Even in the dark, they manage to find eye-contact and hold it.

“You’re awake! Feeling better?”

Levi grunts. Eren gets up to switch on the lights, revealing his dishevelled state and prompting Levi to order him back to his own bed.

Eren stubbornly refuses. “What if you break into a fever again? I’m not that tired. You _need_ me.”

“Like how you needed me during Hell-Week?” Bringing back good old times.

Eren huffs agreeably and plops down on the floor, throwing his head on the bed and gazing mystically at Levi.

Yes. Mystically.

Like there’s something in Eren’s unusually green eyes (maybe it’s this time of night and Levi’s hallucinating). A twinkle, a swirling sparkle like the cloudy tails trailing after the Milky Way. As if Eren’s thinking really hard or just thinking about something really far-off and stupid like—

“You look real nice when you’re flushed like this, Levi.”

Like that.

And it doesn’t stop there. Nope—fucking Milky Way keeps twirling and spinning, working the gears and clogs to a steamy haze and Levi knows this is one of those times when Eren’s brain works differently and backwards.

“Have you ever wanted to look into the past?”

Like now.

Normally, people ask about the future. This backward brain asks about the past.

Levi responds nonchalantly, “nothing to look back on.” Cliché. But really, there isn’t. What’s done is done. Shoulder shrug.

“You know, when you’re looking at the stars, like the Polaris or Orion’s Belt, you’re actually looking into the past.”

“Let me guess,” Levi cuts in. “‘And we are their future’?”

Eren shrugs. “Trippy isn’t it? Quantum physics is some real deep shit.”

“That’s what you’re planning to go into?”

“Once upon a time,” he sighs. “Before dad scared me with all the crazy theories. I think they were trying to land me in a field where I can make _some_ decent amount of money.”

“Always about the money huh.”

“There goes my humans-live-by-numbers theory again.”

“Wishing to look back on those days? When you dreamed of becoming a Steven Hawking?” Levi amuses himself with an image of young Eren, brilliant eyes sparkling bright as ever at the night sky.

Eren chuckles and brings his arms under his chin. He’s back to gazing tenderly at Levi. Tender greens. Like baby Brussel sprouts—but doesn’t leave you a cringing shiver. “Nah, not that far back. I wish…wish I knew you earlier, way before this semester.”

A lump swells at the base of Levi’s throat. He tries to break away from Eren’s hold but those ocean-depth eyes—they were mystifying. Entrancing. Held onto him as tightly as the contortion his heart is wrapped in.

Levi blinks. Green again. (tender greens)

Tentative green. Waiting.

He swallows that lump. Takes a jump off the cliff.

Pats the little empty spot on the bed squeezed between the wall and himself.

“Get on. You’re better than being on the floor.”

Better than being in this stuffy little room with a grumpy old college student who’s more than likely to pass his sickness to the pretty brunet. (with tender greens)

Eren hops on, situating himself comfortably beside Levi, and continues to talk away the night. Stars shine brightly outside. Shines as brilliantly like Eren’s dreaming heart.

Levi stops lying to himself.

Late-night talks with backwards Eren are…

pleasant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> running out of steam.


	6. Almost There

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “sexile – to banish a roommate from the room/dorm/apartment for the purpose of engaging in intimate relations with one’s significant other/sex-partner”. also, eren is a lightweight; but that's beside the point.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> very sorry for the delay (and very very VERY sorry for any grammatical errors). mentions of sex and alcohol in this chapter. and over dramatic-ness.

They would’ve never guessed it. Levi had always pegged her as the ultimate being of all that is pious and good. Quiet, studious, and passionate in her academics and has probably never thought of trivial stuff like relationships. Then again, it’s against Levi’s principles to consult to stereotypes and labels in the first place.

Levi had always pegged her as quiet. Soft-spoken.

The biggest contradiction is currently in the happening and as a front-row-seater witness, he can conclude that it’s damn mortifying to see. To _hear_ , more so.

“Ohhh... _OOOHH_ Yes yes— _AHH!_ ”

It’s like a cacophony of whale-calls in the ocean, with a few 16-wheller horns on the side, and maybe a trombone blown in the wrong direction. If that is even possible. He can’t quite put his finger on it. Can’t quite determine if it’s even humanly possible to concoct such sound. The staccato grunting, the deep groans that for sure has left vibrations running through the walls—at first Levi thought their third roommate was terribly distressed and was breaking down.

A particular “unnnnnnnhng” stretch out from the room across his.

Fuck almighty. What a mating call.

Levi stares in complete darkness. It’s late at night—twelve, one? How much time has passed? All Levi knows is that their sweet, quiet third roommate possesses quite the lungs and endurance and...libido. He’s counted three sessions already, with 10-20 minutes break in-between. That’s a shit ton of fucking.

“Oh _GOD_!”

Yes please. God help her.

Or his sanity for the matter. When he remembers how milk can help with sleep, Levi emerges out of his room and finds the kitchen lights on.

Eren stands bare from the waist up, leaning against the kitchen counter. His flimsy Minions boxers (Jesus, they’re fucking _everywhere_ , even on Eren’s dick) leaves much to imagine. They have the most impeccable sense of time, for the moment they make eye-contact, the room down the hall breaks into another series of mating cries.

“Oh! _Oh_!”

Eren blinks profusely with a furious blush and looks away. They stay in their respective spots for a good minute, enjoying the sound effects of real-life porn. If only they have popcorn. Levi expects Eren to break out and say something stupid but nope. Not this time.

His elbows itch. He brings a hand up to scratch it.

Eren clears his throat.

A broken string “Uh-uh-ye-yeah- _yeah_!” ensues.

Levi grabs for a glass of milk from the fridge and leans against the fridge while Eren downs the rest of his water. In a situation like this, an invisible border is already up and running between them and one wouldn’t be wise to move into each other’s bubble, or converse for the matter. They find the walls and floor most interesting—Levi slowly breaking a sweat under heavy tension.

It’s Eren who finally breaks the silence.

“Who knew, huh?”

Levi clicks his teeth. “Erwin should have his bed replaced.”

“I’m sure it won’t break.”

“Sure as fuck will be smeared with—”

“Oka-aay!” Eren breathes deeply and whips around, no doubt to hide his embarrassment. Nothing he can do about his nicely exposed back currently flexing in front of Levi’s face. Eren has a very nice back—nice and naked and open to free touch. And it brings Levi back to that night when they fell asleep together after one of their late-night talks, with Eren was squished between the wall and him and the poor boy had no choice but to lie on his side in the end because the bed was too damn small. Kudos to Levi because the next morning, he finds them half-tangled in a cuddle which he’s sure was mutually agreed upon unconsciously.

He skipped out of bed after minutes of dazed ogling and not a word of that morning was spoken afterwards.

Levi shakes the memory astray and goes to rinse his glass. Well aware of the heat Eren’s emitting, Levi scoots an inch away from the human furnace. Eyes are pointed straight ahead, not falling prey at all to the brown nipples sticking out at the corner of his eyes.

He swallows an imaginary lump down his throat.

Then jolts when Eren moves, crossing his arms (bare, skin-so-smooth arms) over to place his bowl in the sink. Hyperactive senses flash, screaming at Levi how uncomfortably close Eren is and how he should move away. A warm breath blows on his neck, sending a warm pool to his lower regions. Curiously, shifts his head to see just—

how

Eren’s stare is unbroken and solid on Levi. Warm, bright, swimming with purpose, intent. A plethora of emotions that it leave Levi parched. Dry at the mouth and suddenly he needs another glass of milk. And maybe a bag of ice to cool down that overheated, erratically-beating, poor little heart.

“U-uhh...” Levi scurries his gaze away, finding entertainment from the countertops. There goes a little scuffle and Eren backs away, taking the heat with him.

A whiny moan that floats down the hallway.

He hears a curt sigh from Eren.

“Wanna get bubble tea?”

Levi’s already heading to the foyer.

“Thought you’d never ask.”

And that is how Eren and Levi were sexiled from Unit A, 42 Marshall one cold winter night in December.

.-.-.-.

It soon latches on as a running joke between the two of them, whenever The Boyfriend comes over for the weekend and they just know that it’s time to pack their things and move to the school library to study. Eren has a defence mechanism in the form of noise-cancelling headphones and video games so he now stands patrol at home and report to Levi when The Boyfriend is gone. The couple can go on for the entire day, if they so desire. Damn impressive, Levi admits if it were not for the traumatizing side-effects.

_yo he left. the fornication deed is done ;) safe to come home now_

Levi ignores the warm fuzziness when he reads ‘come home’. Packing his stuff, he makes the long cold journey back to the apartment.

_whaaaat? i like the word. it sounds so stern but funny at the same time_

Levi snorts and asks himself just why he finds the idiot so amusing. There really must be some magical pull that compels him to reply back again and again until an overabundance of messages has been accumulated in the end. He doesn’t recall any other contacts who has as long of a conversation as he has with Eren.

_crap im out of shampoo. mind if i use urs? :DDD?_

_Go ahead._

The senior student doesn’t recognize the implications of giving his permission until much later, when he finally gets home in time to see Eren waltz out of the showers. Again with the Minion boxers but this time, it’s not the yellow bean with its opened mouth on Eren’s crotch that steals Levi’s attention—nor the stray water droplet running down the edges of his abs and dipping dangerously into his hips—but the whiff of cucumber mint trailing behind Eren.

Levi stops in his tracks, pushing down the pool of heat threatening to rise and overtake his hands so they can just bury themselves in Eren’s messy wet hair and—

A sharp intake of breath clears his senses and Levi quickly treks down the hall, avoiding Eren’s eyes completely. He almost makes it into his room before another scent stirs his brain cells—this time of cinnamon and spice.

“Oh yeah!” Eren says, sheepishly brushing the back of his head. “Hope you don’t mind me using some of your body wash. Ran out of that too. Man, I need to go to Wal-Mart and restock.”

It’s mumbo-jumbo to Levi. All that registers in his mind is how _good_ his shampoo and body wash smells on Eren, how much stronger the aroma is compared to when he himself uses it. How it _compliments_ his body, like the damn scent is made for the stupid model—fuck, the kid can do free advertising for the brands. The one golden thing _gets_ Levi though—that hooks him on and leaves him still standing idiotically in the dark hallway—is knowing that Eren had used _his_ stuff.

And it fucking smells great.

So lost in his downward-spiral trance, Levi fails to notice the growing frown on Eren’s face.

“Sorry, thought you wouldn’t mind. I didn’t use a lot though.”

“No!” Comes a burst from Levi, which is quickly coughed into a quieter protest. “It uhh...it’s good..for you.”

And just like that, with a snap of a finger, Eren’s unsure expression turns to that of confidence. He takes a step forward and leans down close enough for Levi to be entirely overwhelmed with mint and cinnamon. Voice low and husky, if not a little teasing, Eren asks, “smells am _aay_ zing huh?”

A dirty look shot at him and Levi turns to close the door on Eren. He hears the boy boast a laugh that echoes down the hall.

“Don’t worry, I still like it better on you than me.”

.-.-.-.

The night that changed it all is the night before that one midterm that consists of only multiple-choice questions and nothing else. The one where students perceive it to be easy—because come on, 60 M/C in total? easy 100%—before they realise the professors can and will fuck their confidence up with ‘all of the above’ or ‘none of the above’. The brain can only function so well on an early Saturday morning.

But Levi’s all prepared. Stocked up, armed, and primed for the sole purpose of passing this midterm with flying colours. Friday night’s about to end with him taking out the trash and heading early to sleep except he’s stopped in his tracks upon finding an unconscious body laying sideways on the ground in front of the door. A short curse mutters from his mouth and Levi quickly tends to the fallen man.

The stingy whiff of alcohol confirms his thoughts as Levi helps Eren get up on his feet. With a heated flush _that_ red on his face and such milky gaze in his eyes, anyone can easily tell just how piss-drunk Eren is right now. Levi first ignores the small groan when Eren wakes from half-sleep, though the moment Eren leans his face into the crook of Levi’s neck and breathes hot air on naked skin, he knows he’s done for.

“The hell were you doing just lying outside, idiot?”

Eren gives a low-toned whine. “Can’t find...keys.”

Levi slides a hand down to Eren’s right back-pocket and sure enough, a set of apartment keys safe and untouched. The brunet spurts a giggle and shakes his head like a puppy.

“Levi touch bum.”

Sigh. “Yes, I did.”

“Levi like bum?”

Another sigh escapes, Levi choosing not to respond and instead picks out the keys to open Eren’s door. Even in a drowsy state, Eren’s holding an intense gaze down at him that can all but ruin the tranquility Levi’s built over the evening. It’s Friday night, the night before an exam, and he sure as fuck doesn’t want any distractions.

Guiding the disoriented male to bed, Levi dumps Eren down and strips off his jacket and shoes. “How about we just not drink too much next time. Can we do that?”

He’s given a pout. Eren slurs his words out, “Di’nt drink a’ot.”

 _Really_ , Levi’s arched eyebrows asks. He’s having a hard time believing the boy. Typical college student and their hard partying ways. Levi can only imagine the amount of beer cans and empty liquor bottles lining the counters and table.

“How much?” asks Levi, just out of curiousity and maybe concern. With a forearm over his head to block out the light, Eren holds out two fingers. “Two shots? Glasses?”

Eren silently shakes his head.

“For the love of God, please don’t say two bottles.”

He shakes his head again, murmuring something incoherent and Levi asks him to repeat.

“Two...cans..”

“Of beer.”

“...cider.”

Just like that, Levi’s image of Eren living it up with red-cup refills and multiple shots shatters into a dorky student who can’t handle his alcohol. A chortle escapes his throat, “weak.”

“Ssshaddup.”

Not waiting for Eren to finish his blabbering, Levi goes to grab water. Poor kid definitely needs some hydration to get rid of that headache. He leaves it beside the night-table, gently instructing Eren to drink whenever possible and turns to leave. His wrist gets caught in something hot and it takes a moment for Levi to realise it’s Eren.

"You need something else?"

Eren lies still as if dead asleep, arm still over his eyes while the other hand grips strong on Levi's wrist. The latter calls out again, kneeling down beside with a frown as he checks for anything wrong.

"Eren, every--"

"I like you."

The room freeze still with Levi's heart booming loudly in the background. Eren's not breathing and Levi's not breathing and outside the snow falls silently. He looks down to see Eren's hold still not loosening and he wonders what plan of action should be executed next. Opting to play it off doesn't come as a choice since Eren again opens his pink dried lips to blurt out—

"I like you."

This time, he's looking right at Levi, a steady pattern of inhale-exhale falls in place. Eyes wide open, focused, with a seafoam shine under the dim incandescent light. It's as if he was never in his previous state of drunk, suddenly jolted from sleep and his thoughts are all cleared but of one singularity: to tell Levi that—

"I really, really like you."

Once his lungs are back to functioning, Levi uses the replenishment of oxygen to make sense what the hell just happened. Well...Eren just declared his _feelings_ but what the hell does that mean? How does one make sense of "I like you"? Levi knows that Eren is an affectionate guy who has a natural pull to people. He's gotten used to his playful teasing and suggestive words, used to the physical touches and green sparkles in his eyes when the boy gets excited. He knows the naked mornings with Minion boxers and evening races for the hot shower where it turns into steamy messes of defined torsos and chest and arms. He knows the texts here and there with kissy smileys and " <3" signs because that's who Eren is. Affectionate, kind Eren who loves everyone just as equally.

Levi doesn't know the Eren who _likes_ one, particular person.

And all of a sudden, Friday's progress is all but thrown out the window. Levi isn't prepared, he isn't ready to ace it..whatever _it_ is (right, midterm..got it). His nerves _aren't_ calm and he _doesn't_ have a cool head. He sure as hell is _not_ going to have a good night's sleep because he's going to spend the night trying to process what Eren just did to him and what that _means_.

All the while, the unaware, half-dozed brunet lying comfortably in his bed gives a floppy smile that makes Levi's chest lurch and even more confused. Fuck, this kid has no freaking clue what he can do. With one last attempt of verbal declaration, Eren slips into slumber, his hold on Levi's wrist sliding loose.

"..I really do."

It's time-frozen still for the next few minutes. Eren no longer has a hold on him but his hand is still stuck in mid-air, sticking out in the same position where Eren wanted him to be. A peaceful state crosses the boy's face, completely unaware of the events that just happened while Levi here, is currently experiencing some sort of internal meltdown.

The rest of the night goes by a blur. So does the next morning, when his body goes on automatic drive and suddenly he's sitting face-blank in front of the midterm paper. 60 multiple-choice questions don't seem all that bad; but somewhere in-between

**"A: communicate your understanding and respond with sincerity"**

and

 **"D: defend your company and argue with customer"** ,

when Jane the salesperson receives an enraged customer at the counter and the examinee is asked what to do in this scenario, Levi comes to a slight but rocky realization.

The filled-in bubbles on his Scan-tron sheet has too many B's and not enough E's and never has this sort of irregular pattern put Levi off on a self-doubt journey.

Levi wasn’t prepared.

By the end of the exam, he put his pencil down with conviction: he has managed to like the cheeky brat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> just gonna beat myself in the corner ‘cause this stretch of a delayed update is not acceptable. it was to the point where i had to re-attune myself of levi and eren’s character and i most probably butchered levi’s in this. read the previous chapters and i don’t even recall how i wrote them...forgotten how my style goes—forgotten how to freakin’ write(?!?!?!?!). see this is what happens when i don’t practice and go on ‘break’ for fucking three months.
> 
> so im sorry, sorry, sorry for this disastrous update lol. but yes, im slowly coming back and hopefully, this will be finished soon. –drowns in buckets of shame–
> 
> [also, drink responsibly]


	7. And That's a Wrap

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve wanted to do that since October.” His voice low and breathless, presumably from their kiss.
> 
> “And now it’s December.”
> 
> “And now, it’s December,” agrees Eren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> unedited; beware.

To say he’s been unable to sleep well is an understatement of the week. Too many things have been jammed inside his head that the white on the ceiling is overwritten with words and reminders by his head as Levi lie motionless in bed. Finals in two weeks, end-of-the-term case studies, end-of-the-year house-cleaning, Christmas decorations (as enforced by Hanji) and of course...Eren.

Ridiculous as it seems for his heart to dance like butterflies, but the mere phonetic sound of that name does just that. It makes him breathe a little deeper, think a little slower, feel a little warmer, and sometimes has him staring into blank space—because the image of Eren’s twinkling eyes plastered on the window is all so distracting and makes the world spin just a little smoother.

(dammit, wherever he looks, there he is—sunshine boy)

The culprit of this all doesn’t even recognize his heinous crime, going on dopily in his happy world as if it wasn’t shattered by his intimate confession. The low buzz on the table warns the college student of what’s to come.

_and i present to u...WALL-E!!_

A photo quickly follows. Positioned awkwardly on the surface of a table, Eren had taken a selfie with his year-end project: an autonomous robot—or whatever the hell Eren calls it. Levi finds it more than endearing to see the to-be engineer gush over his baby ( _“Eren, it’s not even half done.” “How dare you belittle his existence?!”_ ).

_Looks good. What can it do?_

_venture around, detect blockage, climb walls, hold my fries_

_That’s it?_

_im insulted. apologize_

Levi chuckles, chest glowing at their playful banter. Two months ago, he wouldn’t have even bothered, but through Eren’s constant pushing and pulling and prying and alluring, they’ve come to a comfortable point where—Levi stops. Blinks. Gears slowing down because they’re stumped at the ultimate question: where are they? What exactly is this definitive stage called, where they’re walking on a clean line of comfort and ease but also in a circle where they’re across from each other and they’re so close at making eye contact but don’t because...

well because neither doesn’t really know what this is.

The unknown disturbs Levi. It has been for some time but it’s only now that he’s truly grasped it. Levi’s uncertain, unsettled, apprehensive. So when the next buzz goes off after a long period of inactivity and Levi reads the message, he chooses to put the phone away. He has finals to worry about.

_levi? helloooooo_

.-.-.-.

Almost a week later finds Eren bursting into Levi’s room, announcing his overdue discovery that something is up. With permission, of course.

_hey. u home?_

_Can you not see my slippers outside my room?_

_busy?_

_mind if i come in?_

Caught off by the uncharacteristically-considerate question, Levi responds, hesitant in his typing as a small wave of nausea hits over. He doesn’t even have time to digest two seconds later, when Eren is already pacing in the middle of his room. As if he’d been waiting right outside Levi’s door, ready crash in.

“Okay,” Eren huffs, not wasting another second. “What’s going on—and don’t tell me ‘nothing’ or ‘I’m fine’ because _clearly_ there’s something that’s been going on and I know you know it but I don’t know it so I would like to _know_ right now.”

Levi stays silent. His brain steaming with possibilities and different options to go about this with the occasional ‘Abort! Abort!’. When he does open his mouth, Eren interrupts.

“And don’t glare at me and say ‘what the hell are you talking about?’—” Levi narrows his eyes at Eren, he doesn’t sound anywhere near that high-pitched. “—because that’s bullshit and we both know it! Your messages are all weird and I know it’s close to finals but that’s no excuse for outwardly _ignoring_ me.”

Eren stills in his spot, slowly tilts his head towards Levi with those big, cotton-candy-sweet eyes. “Please tell me it’s just finals?”

The black-haired student, although sufficiently social-inept and inexperienced in romance and who does all he can to avoid such complications, decides to stop hiding.

“Just...” He runs a hand down his face. “Going through some...tough shit.”

“Shit that involves me?”

And he’s been thinking for a while now. Brooding, really. Thinking what this all is and what it meant and where it’s going. He’s been eaten alive at the brain cells by the overworked gears and at the end of it all, a big blank is found. A fuzzy, blinding blank space where Levi can’t dig any deeper without the help of—

“Yeah,” Levi finally confesses. Slowly raising his head, Levi takes a good, strong look into Eren’s, holding onto those reflective peridots with so much fondness. “Shit about you.”

A pitched breath echoes across the room. Eren’s body tense with understanding? Confusion? Unsureness? Levi doesn’t know. It’s in his hand now, so Levi patiently waits until the boy closes the distance between them and sneaks his way between Levi’s legs. He lets him.

Eren licks his lips. “Did I...say something stupid the other night? When I came home tipsy? I...I just have this feeling.”

Tipsy is an understatement, but Levi will keep the memory to himself. When no response comes, Eren takes it as an affirmative; but instead of retreating to his embarrassed state where words become stammered clear-thought becomes mush, Eren takes charge in his big-boy voice.

“Sorry if I said stupid stuff. I tend to talk a lot—” Eren pauses before correcting himself. “Well, I talk even more than usual and my friends say I get stupidly honest so if I said anything, that made you uncomfortable, I’m worry. But I’m not sorry because whatever I said, I meant it.”

Eren holds the same clarity in his eyes as that night when the world became just a little more complex and Levi’s more than convinced that Eren meant it. His fervent heartbeats have slowed down and his mind is less fuzzy, reasoning and logic finally taking place.

“I...me too.”

Eren’s expression clouds with confusion.

“I...I-uhh.” Levi swallows spit down his dry throat, feeling parched as ever. “I...like you too.”

Oh for Christ’s sake—this isn’t senior kindergarten when the most intense feeling is _like_ or pre-teen years where crushes are a big thing, so why of all ardent words, he decides to eloquently go with ‘like’? You _like_ a book, you _like_ baseball, you _like_ pizza—you don’t _like_ a near-Adonis who’s too good for this cramped apartment and who you like to _lick_ your body-wash off his tight skin.

...Repressed sexual urges are not to be reckoned with.

“That’s great!” Eren bursts out. “I—I mean, mom says it’s pretty hard to find someone who returned your feelings and I wasn’t 100% sure you preferred this way, and well I’ve wanted to tell you but I guess I didn’t have enough balls to but thanks to alcohol, I managed to grow a pair and ask you out—”

“You didn’t.”

“Huh?”

“You didn’t...ask me out.”

A tight line of awkward silence follows short. Levi much prefers Eren’s diarrhea mouth because it gives him time to think _What Now_?

Eren sheepishly scratches the back of his neck. "So like, do you...do you want to—would you like to...give this a try..?"

Shedding that layer of tenacity, Eren now stands squirming as if under a cold wash of rain. Levi's deadpan stare does nothing to ease the boy and it's only after he's gotten a few seconds of internal amusement, Levi asks, "is this you asking me out?"

"I'm not good at this, Levi," confesses Eren. "The last time this happened was ninth grade, and she rejected me by just walking away—"

"Rude."

"—yeah I know right? Anyway." Eren sucks in a wavering smile. "Do you want to be boyfriends with me? I like you, a lot. I really do."

The same words, the same loving tone from that night drift into his memories and he huffs in humour. Intoxicated or not, this puppy knows his words of romance.

Levi gives warning to the brunet, claiming, "I've never done this before."

"Me neither."

"I'm graduating next year."

"I'm graduating the year after that."

"I'm a boring—"

"Stop finding excuses," Eren cuts him off, his countenance relaxed and understanding. "You'll never know if you don't try it out."

Levi glares at Eren, no ill meaning intended. "You're not letting this go now, are you?"

He responds in his usual boyish grin, teeth pearly-white. "Not when I have sex-on-legs right in front of me."

And it’s supposed to be a lighthearted joke between them that should pass around and fade with giggles but the exact opposite takes effect. Maybe Eren doesn’t mean to say it out loud and that explains his redness and Levi for sure doesn’t know how to react, teetering on the edge between laughing it off and flirting back (god forbid because he’s sure to say something utterly inane like “I like how you smell when you come out of the shower”).

Isn’t this supposed to be the easy part, now that they’ve gotten over the clumsy ‘confession part’?

Deep in looped thoughts, he’s barely aware of Eren moving until he’s kneeling in front of Levi and their eyes meet on level. Levi wonders if Eren can feel the sudden change of temperature in the room. Must be, by the bright flush at the tips of his ears.

“Can I...kiss you?”

Levi swallows imaginary air. Eren’s leaning closer and closer until they both can feel each other’s breath tickling their skin, sending goosebumps down Levi’s back. And fucking hell, he can _feel_ Eren’s warm lips even though they’re not yet touching and it’s then when he realises that he hasn’t responded. So he gives an unintelligent grunt.

Eren goes for the kill with the lightest, gentlest peck and Levi quickly finds out that this boy has unusually soft lips and they’re nice to touch and squeeze and mold against and lick (in which the action incites a huff of excited breath from Eren and Levi smiles). Still tense and uncomfortably illiterate in the art of romance and kissing, Levi soon falls prey to Eren’s large hands that are cupping his cheeks. They run up and card through Levi’s hair, a gesture that’s all the more welcomed and Levi encourages Eren with a harder kiss.

And after days and weeks of dancing around each other, all these withheld interactions that honestly could’ve moved their relationship forward—this intense fondness for each other rushes out all at once in the form of heated kisses and nips along the jawline that brings out satisfied sighs and lustful whimpers. Levi sits on the edge of the chair now, one hand lazily caressing the back of Eren’s neck while the other gets lost in the brown messy tresses of Eren’s hair. He can smell the body wash— _their_ body wash and shampoo and it’s fucking delicious. It warms the core of Levi’s stomach and illuminates the happy glow to blinding sights.

A big sigh of breath that he didn’t realise he was holding is let out, as if the burdened weight grabbing at his shoulders has finally been lifted. He’s relieved, he’s surprisingly calm. He’s happy and this big dumb smile plastered on his lips shows it so.

Eren seems to disagree that their kiss is too short and pulls back, but not so far that Levi can no longer see the definitive curl of Eren’s eyelashes. The brunet blows upwards to brush aside a stray strand of hair and chuckles lightly.

“I’ve wanted to do that since October.” His voice low and breathless, presumably from their kiss.

“And now it’s December.”

“And now, it’s December,” agrees Eren.

.-.-.-.

December brings cold weather. December brings snow and its underlying affiliation of holidays and festivities. December brings the end of the school semester and with it, goodbyes and partings and “I’ll see you again sometime” which, if you were _just_ roommates, usually translates to “I’ll see you when and if I see you again”. That doesn’t fall under Eren and Levi’s category but they do fit quite well under the inevitable-parting umbrella.

Just a few days left to snuggle up and get themselves comfortably acquainted with each other, which of course are squeezed into a miniscule timeframe between exams. Which brings Levi to his current predicament of watching Eren piling a ridiculous lump of pillows and blankets on his bed. A makeshift movie setup in front with hot chocolate and munchies can’t go wrong for a study break.

“Study break.”

“Study break,” confirms Eren. He flops on his side of the bed and waits for Levi to join. “You said it was alright, right? Since you finished all your chapters.”

“What if I wasn’t?” Levi quickly calms Eren down when the boy shoots up in panic. “Relax. Yes, I need to rest my overstuffed brain.”

“Besides,” Eren adds, “we still haven’t had our first date yet. This will do.”

“How romantic.”

And it’s not like they can jump right into amenity. A confession and kiss (and some more afterwards) isn’t going to ease any bashfulness and awkwardness but at least they’re trying. Eren is the one who slides over and closes the distance between them after Levi settles himself under the blankets. The kid loves close proximity, to one’s no surprise, and Levi gratefully welcomes his body heat. His personal space is still respect—no hand-holding and feet-touching and all that grubby shit. Let’s take it one step at a time.

Levi pays little attention to the movie. Every single nerve is geared towards Eren and his shallow breathing and small movements. The little sounds and remarks of the movie calm Levi. It lets him know that Eren’s comfortable—and so he’s comfortable and they’re both comfortable and everything at that moment is just fine. Then the boy shuffles and stretches and slides deeper into the blankets, plopping his chin on Levi’s shoulders. Cold wet hair strands contrast greatly with his warm breath and it still makes Levi shiver.

Eren had used his shampoo again.

“Hmm? Yeah, I did.”

Levi quickly learns that he can’t control his mouth around Eren.

“When are you going to get your own?”

“When I move out.” Eren offers a sheepish grin. “I hope you don’t mind.”

He spares a sarcastic response in turn for a deeper reflection. The shampoo he gets from Costco is twice the normal size so it’s not like he’s going to run out anytime soon. But the bottom line isn’t about some shampoo or body wash—or the dishes and cooked meals, the washroom-hogging and toilet-clogging, the late-night raging and guitar playing. The bottom line is that—

“No, I don’t mind.” Levi sighs contently, brushing back the wet bangs and taking in the sweet mix of Eren’s scent and shampoo. “I don’t mind at all.”

The brunet seems to catch the hidden meaning and gives a soft peck on the lips. Levi pretends to be unfazed but who the fuck does he think he is? Their other roommate can probably hear the loud poundings of his heart.

“I’ll pay you back with kisses.”

“I don’t want your crusty-ass lips.”

(but really, who the fuck does he think he is?)

.-.-.-.

The atmosphere in unit A of 42 Marshall falls eerily quiet when they’re not bantering over whether or not Eren’s lips truly are crusty. For most part of the day, Levi huddles at his desk while Eren keeps to his own territory. He’d been asked to keep his door open, since the sound of paper-rustling and pages flipping calms Eren and keeps him motivated to study. It’s a tolerable thing Levi can do for his boyfriend.

God that sounds so...middle school.

It does bring happy butterflies in his stomach so fuck it.

He’s just in the middle of clearing his love-doped thoughts when an exasperated groan is let out from Eren’s room. Probably just a sigh of frustration, Levi reasons, but a second more high-pitched moan follows and Levi’s legs take him into Eren’s room.

The boy is curled in a fetal position on his chair, head buried between his knees. He makes further sound but no additional movements either, worrying Levi.

“Alright there, champ?”

Eren shakes his head. He keeps his head burrowed, taking deep breaths in long intervals. Levi rests a hand on Eren’s head and proceeds to gently comb his hair back, smiling when Eren leans towards his touch. The tenseness in his shoulders seems to dissipate and slowly, Eren unfurls his body to hug Levi.

“I’m sorry,” he mumbles, rubbing his face into Levi’s shirt. “It’s just this course is killing me. I can’t seem to retain anything I’ve learned.”

Levi notices the angry ink scratches on Eren’s notes and can only understand. Stress can kill a person from inside out sometimes.

“I’m an idiot, a complete dumbass.”

The man softly knocks Eren on the back of his head. “No, you’re not. You can say that but we both know that’s far from the truth.”

Eren grinds his forehead against Levi’s hard abdomen, tangling his hair even further than needed. His heavy sighs are shaky and are a bit out of control—funny how Levi always sees him as a confident young academic ready to take on anything. Well, there’s a breaking point for everyone. And in a time of need, this is where he comes in.

“Get your jacket,” Levi says, taking a quick glance outside before hurrying his way. The winter sun has already bid goodnight on their city, leaving milky glints of snow-dust reflecting under the streetlights. “We’re going on a short walk.”

“Wha—no, Levi I need to—”

“You need a break. Your brain can’t afford to be more fried than it already is and I refuse to let my—” Levi catches the sudden hopeful light in Eren’s eyes. “—partner...to stress himself sick.”

Perhaps that’s what had driven Eren to crawl out of his hole. _You care for me_ , his smile says it all. The two quietly make their way out, catching the bus just in time to escape the dreaded cold. Eren’s itching to find out where they’re headed, Levi can tell from the way the boy’s fidgeting in his seat. Keeping a cool mien, he guides them through campus to the library, ignoring Eren’s confused face when they arrive at the top floor and proceed towards a rather sketchy looking door in the back-corner.

“This the part where you kill me?”

“Spare me the drama.”

The end of their covert journey ends in open air, ten stories above ground, beneath the clear, black sky, and standing next to a grand structure of light. Eren stays in his spot for a good minute before a steamy puff of breath is let out.

“Oh, wow.”

Levi merely hums and finds a seat on an equipment box, warming his hands and half-wondering what other crazy things he will do for Eren in the future. He has to admit though: it is a magnificent view from up here.

“Ho-how do you have access?” asks Eren, joining Levi on the other side. His eyes are still glued onto the gigantic mimic of a Christmas tree that the school has put up on the roof of the library. Levi likes to note how reflective and easily Eren’s eyes shimmer.

“Acquaintance. She gave me the access code.”

“How romantic.”

“This? I know. Don’t expect it to happen often, brat.”

Eren looks to him with a cheeky grin and Levi knows that his earlier troubles have been flushed away, if not permanently then for the moment is fine as well. He receives a quick kiss on the cheek, warming his insides.

“You know, I kinda like how the school at least tries to bring some holiday spirit. The student could use a little cheering up.”

“You’re talking as if the end is near. It’s just examinations.”

Levi is given a deadpan look.

“What I like to think is that they’re endowing us an anchored beacon of hope, somewhere to look to if even a single string of confidence and strength is pulled. Have you noticed, Levi, that no matter where you are on campus, you can pretty much see this Christmas tree?”

“That’s because it’s high above ground and this isn’t even a tree, Eren. It’s a damn steel-wired frame shaped into an upside-down cone with a plethora of cheap Christmas lights around it. And some Home-Depot star on top. At least they didn’t get it from Wal-Mart.”

Eren playfully hits him on the arm. “Don’t be such a party-pooper.”

With a roll of his eyes, Levi corrects himself, “you’re right, I’m sorry. Whenever you feel shitty as a llama being shaved, just look to this tree and know that I’m looking at it too and I’m here for you. Or some shit like that.”

Accepting his half-assed apology, the brunet plops down onto Levi’s lap, gazing wondrously at the night sky. They maintain a moment of peaceful silence, each pertaining to their own thoughts. When the man thinks it’s ready to ask, he goes ahead.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah, thanks,” replies Eren in his warmest tone.

“You’re going to do fine.”

“Better than fine,” Comes his confident statement. Not before another long pause, he inquires, “Levi?”

“Hmm.”

“We’ll, like, call each other, right?”

“Hmm.”

“And message, and can we video-call too? I want to see your face as much as possible. Oh and we’ll visit each other on weeken—”

“Eren, I’m not moving halfway across the country. It’s a two-hour drive to the city and in a year, you’ll graduate too.”

“Yeah. I guess, well I really liked living with you. And I just got used to that and it’s fun and—well, I’m gonna miss you.”

Levi can see Eren’s fruitless attempt at hiding his mellow mood. Seeing how intimate Eren likes to be with his loved ones, it comes as no surprise that Eren will feel the sense of loss. To remedy the situation, Levi leans down and closes the distance between their lips, initiating a kiss for the first time during their time together.

“I’m going to miss you too, idiot. Besides,” he adds on, “you’ll be busy with a new roommate of yours.”

.-.-.-.

Weeks passed, seasons went. The school semester has finally ended with no courses failed and thus, allowing anticipative march towards the new year. After three years in the small, moldy apartment, Levi has finally moved out and it’s good-bye university. Quick to adapt in new environments, he finds himself well integrated in the office, minding his own business and going about everyday life in his plainest way of living.

More often than not, his busy but quiet hours are disrupted in sequences of chimes and phone notifications, whether if it’s a call request or new messages.

_HAPPY VALENTINE’S DAY!!!!1!! too bad SOME1 isnt here with me to celebrate_ _L_ _but its ok i found some1 better_

The text is quickly followed by a photo of Eren and Isabel making fish-lips at each other. The red-head dons a sparkly-pink headband with hearts sprung out while the brunet has red hearts painted on his face.

_just got bak from a parade. they were throwing cinnamon <3s everywhere!_

Another picture is sent and this time, it’s a selfie taken by Izzy with her kissing Eren on the corner of his chin.

_jealous?_

Levi rolls his eyes and types a prompt response.

_get your hands off my sister._

And to think just four months ago, he couldn’t have waited to part from his roommate.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this thing is like so anticlimactic. i spent like..2 weeks trying to figure wtf they’re gonna do after the stupid confession and im like, what else can they do except for studying???1 !?? so yeah. this chapter is me complaining.
> 
> and that’s all folks, for now anyway (unless school pisses me off again and i come running back here). but what nice timing--end of term for eren and levi and end of year for us! 2016's gonna be a glorious year... glorious....


End file.
